Kintsugi
by xLilim
Summary: Redesign Sequel / With the Artifact War behind them, the Kuronuma clan finds peace in a world filled with chaos, but when word spreads about their artifacts, their Shugosha, Mio, finds herself the target of a new threat that drags her and her remaining Guardians back into a dangerous new conflict. MadaraOC
1. Prologue, The Reason for Mutiny

**Disclaimer**: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto; OCs, non-canon plot © xLilim.

**Warning**(**s**): Fairly descriptive violence and mild adult themes, actually, everything included in the rating applies to the level of violence, death, language, and content of this story. This story contains a large cast of OCs to fill in some gaps. I will attempt at a middle ground with this as we will be exploring canon territory, which will bring us canon characters to work with. I will provide you with a character list at my livejournal for those that are interested. You can find a link to my livejournal on my profile for those interested in other extras I offer, like previews and character profiles that are still under construction.

**xl note**: So, welcome to the Redesign sequel. This has been brewing since September, which was not far off from when Redesign ended. I have just about finished outlining the entire story and have enough chapters to keep you entertained for the rest of the month. (By outlining, I mean re-outlining.) Considering this sequel is a little dependent on the bigger events of Redesign, it is suggested that you go read it. If you remember the Artifact War, the 10 Artifacts, Kiyohime, and the inner characters that died in the last story, you don't need to re-read to keep up. I will help you with guides and stuff. (That being said, I have the 10 Kuronuma Artifact Guide linked on my profile if you've forgotten the Guardians of each sphere or what the sphere does. I'll update it with new information as this story goes on.)

The story will be a bit of a slow starter for the first 3-4 chapters as thing are established. It will also be a little lighthearted as it will feature everyone reuniting for some shenanigans because what is Mio, Takuto, Izuna, and Yayoi coming together without shenanigans. I am particularly going to enjoy Minako in this story since she is older and she is hopefully going to become awesome as the years go by.

Okay, onto some details and then you can start reading...unless you started reading and didn't read this at all. Anyway, this prologue takes place between the time Mio and Madara spent apart in Redesign 58 before Mio returns to the Fire Country. It's about Ayuka dying and Mio sensing it. The first chapter takes place 3 years post-Artifact War, making Mio 21, Madara 22, and Izuna 20. The first chapter also takes place after the current events in Of Ivory Lies, that IzunaOC story I am now shamelessly promoting that will eventually tie in seamlessly with this one.

I promise you a mini-character list. You will find it later.

Enjoy! :D

* * *

><p><strong>PROLOGUE<strong> | The Reason for Mutiny

* * *

><p>Uchiha Mio hated the sea. She disliked anything that made up a large body of water. As a young girl, she had nearly drowned and the experience had manifested into a fear. Something about sinking into water—enveloped by it—paralyzed her body. She hated the fact that the Sun Country was an island so far that it required a short voyage over sea.<p>

She also did not look forward to having her boat sunken by Mikazuki Rikuto either, who was rumored to be destroying all ships that came near the Sun Country. She hoped her reaction time was better than his technique because she could drown. She never learned to swim after all. Even though there was a time that her childhood friend, Izuna, tried to teach her in the lake near his grandmother's house. She spent hours clinging to a tree while he struggled to pry her off, assuring her that everything would turn out well. She never believed him.

She simply didn't trust water this deep.

Mio endured the trip in silence, spending as much time in the boat's small cabin away from the sight of the sea that made her dizzy. She exited onto the deck when she felt their destination was close and sat, on the fisherman's firm suggestion, atop a wooden bench watching the island draw near.

It had taken her quite some time to find someone willing to bring her to the Sun Country. Every angler from the Lightning Country's coastal towns had stopped trying to catch fish near it afraid Mikazuki Rikuto would send them to their deaths. The one man that had agreed to take the risk was an aged male with a balding head, who had charged her an exorbitant price upfront. He had called it insurance to replace his fishing boat if Rikuto stayed true to his reputation, but she had a feeling he was asking far more than what his vessel and navigation was worth.

Regardless, Mio had paid his price, knowing Takuto would give her a stern lecture on stealing the clan's funds to spend on a trip to the Sun Country when she returned to the Iron Country, whether or not she had spent it.

Mio stood as she saw the Sun Country growing larger over the watery horizon, as if it had risen from the deep sea where it floated with its cluster of mountain shining under the sun and its forest growing taller with giant trees barren of leaves. She was taken by the scenic, pale shore that spread along the edge of the island, glittering as if there were thousands of tiny diamonds mixed among the millions grains of sand, when she found her eyes catching a flare of gold on red.

There was a man standing on the shore, his booted feet sinking into the wet sand when another wave rolled in under him, the tide rising as high as his ankles. He bore the rose eyes of the Kuronuma clan, but held a frightening resemblance to the man that had been her tormentor for half her life. His hair was vibrant under the strong sunlight, shining gold among red strands, as he sank down to the ground to plant his hands flat across the wet sand, leaving the imprint of his hands upon its darkened face.

He needed no introduction. By the look of him, Mio recognized him as Mikazuki Rikuto, and he was about to sink the old fisherman's ship.

A ripple passed beneath the boat, rocking it violently. The quick motion hurled her to the edge of the boat where she grasped onto its wooden railing with a gasp.

"I told you to stay seated!" the seaman shouted, drawing her attention away from Rikuto to the giant wave rushing to overtake the boat.

Mio pushed her body off the railing when the vessel jerked underneath her feet, knocking her over the edge and killing her reaction time. She hit the water headfirst, managing to suck in a breath, sinking down with white bubbles rising high above her head. Her clothes felt weightless on her slender form, floating around her when the ocean's current dragged her underneath the boat. The towering wave snapped the boat in half when it crashed over it. She heard several splashes above her as the boat's broken parts fell into the sea, but her eye caught something dark, turning to see the old man falling into the deep, unconscious with blood oozing from a wound on his head.

She couldn't hold her breath any longer. The panic swelled up inside her at the thought of drowning when the glass orb she wore on a black cord necklace floated up, glowing against the light that filtered in from the ocean's surface. The white mist inside it spun quickly, like a hurricane was contained inside the sphere fighting to break out, mirroring the drum of her heart.

She calmed herself at the sight of it, an idea surfacing in her mind, and looked around herself until she found the old man. He was close enough that she felt she could take hold of him. She could save him.

Mio reached for the old man, straining but managing to grab a hold of his fluttering sleeve as her lack of oxygen forced her mouth to open. She felt the burn of the salt water rushing down her throat as she jerked the angler forward, securing an arm around him, and closed her eyes tightly. She poured her chakra into the floating orb, activating it.

A round barrier encased her and the fisherman, dispelling the water within it. She dropped to the glass ground, coughing out the water she had swallowed, as the weightlessness of the barrier gently pushed them above the surface. Her sodden clothes hung heavily on her body, her tangled black hair stuck closely to her skin.

Mio stared at the unconscious old man, watching the blood dripping from his wound mixing with the water falling from his pointed nose where it puddled on the sturdy sphere underneath her feet, the coloring a pale pink hue with every droplet of red that fell into it.

Once she broke the surface, Mio deactivated her barrier, hoisting her body over the rippling surface after infusing chakra into her hands and then her feet to move above it.

She managed to stand when she caught a blur zipping past her periphery. To protect the old man, she threw him towards the pale shore of the Sun Country, directly at Rikuto who caught him in one arm. She leaned backward in time to see the shine of a blade slice through the air.

Mio reached behind her, grabbing hold of the handle of her curved dagger. She drew it with enough force to knock the weapon from her attacker's hand during their next attack. She caught that same hand and pulled him forward, twisting his arm behind his back until he fell on his knees. She made it clear that if he moved an inch, she would dislocate his arm completely with the same effort one took to snap a twig.

The man cursed, lowering his head.

"That's enough!" Rikuto shouted.

Mio released the man in front of her and watched him leap across the water until he reached Rikuto, who gave him a quiet order. The man made a beeline to the fisherman Rikuto set on the sand and bent down to assess his condition, peering down at the wound on his head. He pulled the unconscious man's arm over his shoulder and disappeared with him over the sandy hill.

"Why you here, Shugosha?" asked Rikuto.

Mio walked across the water to reach the shore, taking the time to squeeze the water out of her clothes. Rikuto stepped closer, towering over her.

Undaunted by his menacing presence, she said, "I came to see your mother."

Rikuto laughed, perhaps at the irony. "You came all this way to see a woman you swore to kill?" he asked. "You will have to forgive me if I refuse you, but that threat alone is reason enough."

"I am not here to kill her," she said honestly.

She had traveled to the Sun Country against her better judgment. She had made the trip determined to bury the horrors she had experience in her nineteen years of living by coming face to face with the woman responsible for seeing her pathways severed, twisted, rearranged, and pasted to align into the First Artifact War. She had wanted to say that she had wasted the first bit of freedom she had by paying her greatest adversary a visit, but she would have been lying if she said she believed the trip was for naught.

Motou Ayuka was dying. She had extended her life so long by killing every successor born to take the Fate Sphere from her until one snuck up on her. A Guardian lived as long as their spheres remained in their protection , once it passed onto another's, the previous Guardian perished. Most died by the unique, incurable poison the artifacts carried and dispensed when the artifacts changed hands, but a few withered once their age caught up to them.

Rikuto shook his head. "I will provide you with a new boat and will urge you to use it to return to your country," he said, his rose eyes narrowed with disapproval. "Allow my mother to die in peace surrounded by the people that care for her. Know that there is no need for you to punish her any further."

Killing Ayuka swiftly would have been too kind and Mio had not had that sort of mercy to spare on the woman. Not after everything Ayuka had put her through to gain control of the Time Sphere. The Time Sphere had signified her position as Shugosha and Keeper of Kiyohime's Artifacts, of which there used to be ten. The Nature and Black Sphere had broken since the conclusion of the Artifact War, a conflict that had only culminated recently costing many lives.

It had sounded a little ridiculous when she had thought about explaining it to someone unaware of the events that had transpired over the span of ten years. Kiyohime had created ten artifacts from one during an age plagued by war, worse than what it was today, and each item was imbued with great power. She had entrusted each to a Guardian, whose duty was to protect it, but Motou Ayuka, one of her Guardians, had betrayed her, determined to seize control of the artifacts to create an ideal world. However, Ayuka had been forced to bide her time until Mio's birth when she could set her plans in motion.

Ayuka and her son, Mikazuki Gouki, had caused her misery. She had not healed from it enough to say she would overcome it. She had nightmares every time she closed her eyes, every minute she relived the loss and pain she had endured. She still felt the excruciating ache in her bones from having lost a Guardian during the Artifact War. It had dulled, but it had followed her. She hoped after this ordeal, she could return to the Fire Country to visit his grave for the first time, as she had been unable to attend his burial because she had to perform the funeral rites for her grandfather.

"I will not leave this island until I have seen her," she said stubbornly.

Rikuto moved forward, reaching for her arm. "Then you leave me no choice—"

"Rikuto-sama!" A boy with a high ponytail jumped down the hill beyond the shore to run across the sand to reach Rikuto. "Rikuto-sama! The mistress wishes to see the Shugosha Mio, but she—"

The boy's eyes—a deep, molten gold color—met hers and her senses were invaded by a sense of familiarity when the image of him returned, always seated in a corner during his father's lavish banquets, his presence so meager he went unnoticed by all. He was a skinny boy with a gloomy face.

"Motou Ikki," she greeted, inclining her head politely.

Ikki's eyes widened, shocked perhaps at being remembered. He recovered quickly and smoothed out his features to a haughty expression as he tilted his face away, nose high in the air. He reminded her of his sister, Yayoi.

Rikuto exhaled. "Very well," he bit out, taking a step back as he turned. "Follow me."

The Sun Country seemed changed, not radically in the obvious sense of the word. She saw the forest that stretched beyond the large clearing that once served as a battlefield with its tall, barren trees rustling with the cold winds of the season. The island's atmosphere was thick, terse, and it put her on edge as Rikuto led her up the path to the Motou clan's temple at the top of the mountain.

Mio remembered Enki's castle as being an extravagant array of buildings surrounding a tall tower, but it suffered damages during a conflict between the Mikazuki and Uchiha. All that remained on the flat piece of mountain was an empty courtyard and the Sun Temple. She turned at the sound of explosions and stopped at the sight of black smoke rising to the sky.

"Shugosha?"

Rikuto stood at the entrance of the Sun Temple, underneath the black sunburst carved on the sign above the doors, waiting impatiently for her to move. Ikki glared at her. She tried to engage him in polite conversation as they were walking, hoping to speak to him enough that she might coax something she could take to his older sister, who had not seen him in quite some time.

Mio walked into the temple behind Rikuto, the foyer filled with golden statues honored by several burning candles. He walked up the staircase directly at right of the entrance, waiting on her when she lagged behind, fascinated by the inner temple. Nothing about it changed since the last time she had entered it, though it did bring memories of having had her blood forcefully taken in a room underneath the stairs.

She noticed there were more Mikazuki shinobi within the temple, each eyeing her with the same caution Rikuto extended.

Ikki ran up the stairs ahead of them and disappeared down a different hall than the one Rikuto led her down. Ayuka's lavish living quarters resided in the center of a maze of hallways surrounded by rooms aligned along the walls where she spotted a dozen set of eyes peering through apertures in doors.

Rikuto slid apart the shoji and stepped aside, allowing her to enter first.

Motou Ayuka, the High Priestess of the Sun Temple, was lying on a futon with her white hair sitting about her head in a neat array. She aged plenty within the weeks since the Artifact War's conclusion. Her smooth, beautiful skin wrinkled deeply and her once vibrant, red hair had gone stark white. She seemed a completely different person, one Mio might not have recognized had she not spoken.

"You have come, Uchiha Mio?" she asked slowly, then gestured at the entrance. "Leave us Rikuto. She will not harm me."

"Yes, mother," he bit out, sliding the shoji screen shut behind him.

Mio sat atop the cushion besides Ayuka's bedding and set her hands atop her lap. All the anxiety she harbored as she made the trip from the Iron Country to the Sun Country, the same one that threatened to turn her around, came flooding back into her system, presenting itself as a visibly tremor.

"Are you here to watch me die?" Ayuka asked bitterly. "I am unworthy."

"No," Mio replied evenly.

"What other reason have you to be here?"

"I want to listen to your reasons," Mio answered. "And I am not asking about your fear of seeing me grow in strength, I want to know the truth."

Ayuka laughed, staring at her with red-rimmed eyes. "You want to know about my reasons?"

Mio nodded. "You said I wouldn't understand and that I was a fool for stopping you. I want to know why you would think that."

The old woman coughed into her fist as she shook her head. "Why have you chosen this day?"

Mio hesitated while searching for the proper wording. She had come because she wanted an explanation, but knew that she would not have gone searching for it if she had not sensed Ayuka's imminent death approaching. "There isn't enough time for me to forgive your actions. You are dying and this is my last chance," she whispered, feeling it sounded insensitive. "You are the only one that remains. The only one that knows the truth of it all." She paused, swallowing hard. "I just want to know why."

Ayuka breathed in deeply, turning away from her face to stare at the ceiling. "Kiyohime descended from an ice mountain and was rumored to be the daughter of the gods because she possessed strange power," she began, her voice raspy. "War then was different from the ongoing wars today. Humanity was completely helpless against the war as it was constant and harsh. It did not care whether you were old or young, woman or man. Living in that era was hell.

"Moved by the state of the world, by the unfairness and cruelty of mankind, Kiyohime cultivated the power inside her body and created a Time Sphere. Around the same time, a horned woman called Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, who arrived from a far off land, ate the fruit of the Shinju. With the power she gained through the fruit's consumption, she put a stop to the wars and quietly settled to live among us. The people believed Kaguya's arrival to mean that their land was blessed and she was worshipped on a larger scale than Kiyohime.

"However, overtime, the horned goddess and the witch did not see eye to eye. Kiyohime believed peace could be achieved through genuine effort, but Kaguya considered her ideal naïve, asserting that humankind, who were capable of cardinal sin could not be trusted with their own fate. Kaguya believed they needed someone powerful to force peace and through her power, she asserted her dominance over the people of this continent, achieving her idea of a perfect utopia where war ceased to exist.

"Kiyohime committed herself to stopping Kaguya, but she did not possess the strength to best her. So, Kiyohime harnessed the power within the Time Sphere to create more artifacts, but she lacked in the power necessary to see it accomplished. Seeking more power, Kiyohime stole the power Kaguya had gained through the Shinju to create more artifacts from the Time Sphere. Angered by her interference, Kaguya marked Kiyohime, hoping to herald her death and repossess the powers she stole. In response, Kiyohime gathered children from all around the continent in search of Guardians while the wrath of Kaguya overcame our world like a shadowy mantle.

"Kiyohime purposely incited her, taking power from her to prove that she could. She did it knowing it would lead to this. To this war, to the wars of the future, to the rising of that devil woman long after her death. She brought innocent children into their war, making hosts of them. They became targets of Kaguya's fury. I watched them die. I watched them all die. I was part of the third crop of children and I survived ten groups after me. Every year, I welcomed another into her ice mountain. I accommodated them and aided them in every possible way. I grew to love them all and I watched them die, at the hands of Kaguya or the artifacts Kiyohime created to protect the world from Kaguya. They protected nothing and it infuriated me to see these innocent children dragged into their war."

Ayuka paused to cough violently into her hand, wheezing deeply to catch her breath.

Mio scrambled to the table in the corner after seeing a pair of ceramic cups and a pitcher filled with water. She poured Ayuka a cup and brought it to her, helping her onto a seat before placing the teacup into her shaky hands.

Ayuka drank deeply; her bony fingers wrapped around Mio's wrist, trembling like the rest of her fragile body. Mio helped her back onto her futon, pulling the covers over her body.

"All should have been well once those sons of hers sealed her away—Kaguya, I mean—but sadly, it did not spell an end," Ayuka continued. "I wanted to make sure, so I looked into the Fate Sphere and saw Kaguya's pathway continued through several generations, beyond mine, beyond yours. Hidden as it was, I could see it, woven underneath layers of pathways linked to her sons."

"What does that mean?" Mio asked.

"It means someone will come about releasing her and when they do, she will go to you, to whoever holds the Time Sphere, to reclaim what Kiyohime stole," she explained. "The power that gave life to the artifacts was Kiyohime's, but that which sustains them is Kaguya's. She did not offer her power willingly, it was stolen and it is said that it weakened her. If she were to descend onto this world again and gain control of the power running through each of Kiyohime's artifacts, we would be doomed. I did what I could to stop her from returning to this world, but I failed. I saw that in my desperation to redeem the Guardians that died around me for a useless war for the sake of peace. Ha! A war for peace? Ridiculous, is it not?" She gave a hearty laugh, though her eyebrows remained firmly in place, deepening the wrinkles on her forehead. "I did not care who I dragged down with me. I did not care all that much for Kiyohime's descendants, not enough to spare their sacrifice. So, I did not care what I needed to do to you to avoid ever having to meet that horned woman again, but it seems Kiyohime's will was strong in you."

Mio mulled over the story as the priestess finished speaking. She wasn't sure what her reaction to it should be. The story should have offered an explanation to everything, but it only filled her mind with more questions.

"You know, she is the one that made me aware of you when I killed her—Kiyohime," Ayuka said, drawing Mio's eyes from her lap. "I betrayed her because I wanted to take the artifacts and ensure Kaguya would not rise again, knowing she would not act herself. I wanted to see that they did not kill another person over power. Of course, at the time, I did not know what Kiyohime was talking about. She only said that a stronger bloodline ran through her own and that when it merged with that of a sage, it would give birth anew to a will greater than her own."

"So, Kiyohime and Kaguya started a war to bring about peace, but it only incited more chaos and you wished to put a stop to it because of the children the artifacts were killing?" Mio asked, unaware the skepticism of her voice until Ayuka pointed it out.

"You do not believe me?" she asked. "No, I understand. My behavior towards you was shameful, but I felt the need rising in me when I discovered you and your son. Two powerful Shugosha with skills I could benefit from to bring about the peace this land deserved. I figured it would not hurt to speed things up. I could secure the future that much faster. I thought I was saving the world. I was drunk on my own power, like Kiyohime and Kaguya."

"What did you think to do with the artifacts?" asked Mio. "Once you secured them in that universe Nishiki created?"

"I hoped to see them sealed, but changed my mind with time. I did not want to risk a flaw in my plan, nor did I wish to be completely defenseless." Ayuka looked to her after a brief pause. "I know that it will either be the work of an Uchiha or Senju if Kaguya were to reemerge, the two clans are tied to her bloodline. I could never see who it was."

Mio was at a loss. This was too much information to process in a single sitting. She felt overwhelmed by her own emotions of dread.

"I thought it might be you," Ayuka added. "That is why I sent Gouki to kill you, but Nishiki wanted to keep you alive. He told Gouki to spare you. Kill your mother and father, but spare you."

Mio closed her eyes briefly. She relived the night of her parents' murder repeatedly after it occurred. The memory never settled right, so she experienced it differently, making it hard for her to discern the events as they really happened.

"I was mistaken," the priestess continued. "I see that now, but I did see someone working on returning Kaguya to this world through the Fate Sphere. She will come after the artifacts. She will slaughter anyone connected to Kiyohime. What are you to do, Shugosha Mio? What can you do? This could happen within weeks, months, perhaps years, but you should know that you and your Guardians are the ones in danger."

"How will she be brought back?" Mio asked.

"How? I know not," Ayuka replied. "I do know that there is a connection with the tailed beasts. I thought by disappearing them in Nishiki's universe, we might be able to live in peace, but…"

Mio nodded, understanding she meant how they were defeated and the universe reverted to how it was supposed to be.

"And to answer your question, I want to destroy them," Mio divulged.

Ayuka's eyes widened. "Destroy them?"

"I have seen Shinra pursued by shinobi of all clans for the sphere he will inherit from me," Mio said. "I do not want to birth a child into a world where he will be in constant danger. So, I want to destroy them, but…"

"Ah? I understand." Ayuka nodded. "You came to ask for a clue as to where to go? Yes, it will be difficult to destroy the artifacts when the only way you know is exhausting them. That could very well take whatever life you have remaining."

"I believe Kiyohime left something after she created them," Mio said, having contemplated their creation for the greater portion of her time. She concluded that Kiyohime left something behind whether it was a secret scroll or a source of power. She imagined that despite her brilliance, Kiyohime must have had some guidance.

"She did." Ayuka breathed audibly, her chest rising and falling with great difficulty and pain. "It took me decades to realize it. There is a temple. They say Kiyohime isolated herself within a temple deep underground for weeks before she emerged with the Time Sphere. I do not know the details or the whereabouts of this temple, but I am certain that is what you seek."

Mio bowed low with gratitude. "Thank you, Ayuka."

"Perhaps, it is that I am dying," the priestess said, heaving, "perhaps, it is that I have been given the time to reflect…and that I was too daft to listen when Nishiki spoke to me…" A strangled sound forced its way past her throat and she sucked in a shuddering breath, the loss of him welled in her glassy eyes. "He must have thought me cruel." The tears rolled down the side of her face, disappearing into her white hairline. "I did not see it. I was too blind to see it. My ambition was too large." She raised her hands above her face, staring at them as they shook; the long, bony fingers curled inward, the nails long and sharp, painted black. "He hated me, I am certain he hated that he had to choose between myself and his clan."

Ayuka was never a person to Mio, harsh as that sounded. She perceived the priestess as someone ruthless, a fine line from being considered monstrous, but not quite human. One had to separate themselves from human emotion to do the things she did.

So, Mio found her tears to be an astonishing surprise, a show of something she believed to be lost to the priestess, her sympathy. Ayuka looked to be suffering and it pained Mio.

"He killed his sister because of me," said Ayuka, crying. "Tatsumi. She was a fine girl, headstrong and exuberant. She was only sixteen."

Mio sucked in a breath, saddened at the thought of a girl so young killed by her brother. She was told the story by her grandfather once before when he had enlightened her with a reason for the rift between his brother and himself. She knew that killing Nishiki had worked against him, too, as Nishiki survived his own death.

"It pained him, but I forced his hand," she continued. "I was certain it was her line that would pose a threat. Your grandfather was very unlikely, but I admit, I was never quite able to read his pathways, he blocked me early on without my knowing." Ayuka coughed into her hand, haggardly. "You should have seen his face when I asked him to kill Shinya. It might have been Tatsumi's death as well, but it was the first time Nishiki refused me. He must have hated me."

"I think Nishiki was the type of person that would do anything for the person he loved if it meant keeping a smile on their face," Mio said, interrupting another bout of Ayuka's regrets. The priestess turned to her wide-eyed and hopeful. "I am not justifying his actions because they were awful, but he did them for you. He cared enough about you that he severed his bond to his clan. I remember the day I married Gouki, Nishiki told me that he did not agree with my marrying his son, but he would not stop it because you were happier than he remembered. He only cared about seeing you smiling and happy. Nothing else mattered to him. The day he died was the day he rid himself of the burden of his family. You and his sons were his family. There was nothing he would not have done for you, Ayuka. Nothing. He was not miserable with you. He might have carried regrets, but I promise you that in death, he must have put those to rest."

Sobbing, Ayuka covered her face with her hands. "Forgive me, Mio."

Mio's heart skipped a beat.

"I wanted so badly for you to come," Ayuka admitted. "I needed you to be here." She removed a hand from her face and reached for one of Mio's, her eyes were glassy and distant. "I needed you to be here. You, Kiyohime's daughter."

The dying priestess squeezed her hand, staring at her face longingly as if trying to see Kiyohime through her.

"Forgive me," she pleaded. "I left you with nothing but misery when I should have guided you. We could have made a difference if I had not been so determined to fix Kiyohime's mistakes on my own. Forgive me."

Mio bent forward, her chest aching, and covered Ayuka's tremulous hand with hers. She felt that if she could take the pain from Ayuka onto herself, she would, if it made her passing any easier.

"Thank you, Ayuka."

The priestess's grip tightened. "Watch the Uchiha and Senju clans. Keep them away from awakening Kaguya. And protect your children. Protect that son of yours. Protect your bloodline."

She nodded, sensing the priestess's life starting to leave her slowly, and the ache in her manifested into tears that fell upon their clasped hands. "I will."

"Why are you in tears?"

"I am not sure," Mio admitted. "It just hurts."

"I fear you will not be able to endure this," she said, smiling bitterly. "Not with that heart of yours. Grow stronger. Stronger than you are now, so that you might have a chance to protect that heart of yours. Become a Shugosha that is feared by all. Live up to your potential, Mio. You cannot be weak."

Mio cried harder, clutching Ayuka's hand tightly. "I will."

"You are too kind, Uchiha Mio. I do not deserve this kindness."

Mio found it hard to leave Ayuka's side. Perhaps, she needed to see her die to move forward or maybe it was because her heart was weak. Whatever the reason, Mio stayed.

Rikuto offered her hospitality, confirming through her actions that she had not come to finish his mother off. She slept in a guest room near Ayuka's quarters surrounded by guards posted by Mikazuki Mahiro, a male shinobi that did not trust her, but spent most of her time beside the dying priestess in varying company each hour of the day. After the first encounter, Ayuka did nothing but sleep. Their conversation was the last she had.

The day the ache in her bones began to splinter, Mio stepped out into the wintry cold and stared into the dark sky, surrounded by the night's excessive noise. She went out hoping the icy air might soothe her pain, but it only made her nervous.

Ayuka would be dying soon, within the next twenty-four hours.

Rikuto walked outside to join her, holding a mug of steaming tea for her.

"Thank you," she said, taking it into her hands.

"You are too kind, Shugosha," he said.

"I know."

"You are too trusting as well."

"I know."

"How did traveling to the Sun Country seem like a good idea to you?" he asked, as if attempting to understand with a hint of exasperation. "I could have killed you like I helped in killing your family on Mt. Hyōga."

"I know."

"Then why come?"

"I don't have an answer to that question."

Mio turned to look at Rikuto, surprised to see him bowing deeply.

"I apologize for my involvement in Mt. Hyōga."

"There is no need to apologize. We were at war," she said. "We are shinobi."

Rikuto straightened, eyeing her curiously. She smiled.

Nothing could be done about war, but fight with the hope of winning it. Shinobi never questioned their orders, so one could not hold an army of them accountable for what their superiors asked them to do, unless they committed wrong out of their own volition.

Mio would not blame Rikuto. She found it difficult to blame him considering his personality. He was mild-mannered, despite his stern face, and surprisingly kind. He bore no ill will towards her and seemed grateful that she stayed behind to be at his mother's side.

She remained in the Sun Country until Ayuka took her last breath. The instant her chest rose, drawing in the last bit of oxygen, and sank, as it released it, was the end for Mio. She sensed a weight lift from her shoulders and it filled her with a strange peace.

However, the moment was short lived. There in the room surrounded by fire and dancing shadows, in the presence of the priestess' body, Mikazuki Mahiro threatened to kill her despite Rikuto's protests.

"You did this to her and you have the audacity to stay!" he shouted. "How dare you incline your head and pray for her? This is your fault! You have taken our mistress!" He spat at her feet. "But this will not end here! I will come after you! The artifacts do not belong to you, they are rightfully Rikuto's and we will come after you!"

Rikuto interposed his body between his angered clansman and herself. "Stop this!" he snapped. "My mother made us vow to aid Mio and to protect her bloodline! This was her last will!"

Mahiro shoved Rikuto with a force that sent the man to the ground and stomped towards Mio, seizing her by the collar of the white robe a priestess had lent her to attend Ayuka's funeral rite. "This will not spell peace for you, you little whore."

Ikki rushed to Rikuto as he got back on his feet, huffing and glaring.

She stared at him, eyebrows drawn, as she reached to take his hand in hers, crushing it. He ground his teeth to keep himself from making a pained noise. She could see others standing behind Mahiro, who supported his hatred towards her and believed it justified. She understood she overstayed her welcome and that she would be leaving as soon as she stepped out of the room, apologizing to Rikuto for becoming a burden.

"I will offer you no mercy if you dare bring trouble to my family," Mio assured, barely capable of controlling herself. She would not allow another person to trample all over her. She did not survive this long to relive it all over again.

Mio threw his crushed hand down and turned, walking to Rikuto. "I apologize for my intrusion."

She departed wordlessly that night on a ship provided by Rikuto with the recovered old man acting as a navigator. He had received treatment for the small wound on his head inside the temple and had been welcomed to stay until he had recovered. The old man had chosen to stay because he had promised Mio a roundtrip, though he had been a little more eager with that prospect when Rikuto gave him pick of the Sun Country's ships to replace the one he had destroyed.

Rikuto would later send her a letter of apology in the Iron Country, assuring her that no Mikazuki would stand up against her, her Guardians or any of her descendants as per his mother's last will. As she watched the scroll burn in her fireplace, she hoped he was able to uphold his mother's promise.

* * *

><p><strong>Glossary<strong>:

[ **1** ] _Kintsugi_. "Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi is the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with lacquer resin dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum." - _From Wikipedia._ The philosophy behind this art is embracing the flawed or imperfect.

A while ago, I opened up an entry with some polls for readers to pitch title ideas for the sequel, thanks to HushedFable, I was guided to Kintsugi, which turned out to be a perfect fit for the story. So, thank you for pitching this title. It was incredibly spot on.


	2. The Proposal

Chapter **01** | The Proposal

* * *

><p>Motou Yayoi lifted her face from the giant, opened scroll sitting atop the squared table. "Aren't you being a little paranoid?"<p>

The priestess was tall and lean, with bone straight, raven hair that fell to her lower back with a fringe that covered her forehead. She was dressed in white robes trimmed with gold and wore several pieces of jewelry: gold necklaces, studded earrings, a diamond ring among a medley of other gems in rose clusters and simple bands, and bracelets that clanked with the slightest movements she made.

Uchiha Madara would not deny that he felt a smidgen of paranoia since Uchiha Mio gave him that weird handshake weeks ago during a brief visit. His brother, Izuna, knew the context revolving around his alleged search for a wife, understanding that it was coming from the new advisers within their clan suggesting he make a good alliance with a worthy clan. There were several clans in suggestion, but Madara did not want to pick one. He wasn't interested in marriage. However, he knew growing up that any good alliance benefitted from a marital bond to set a friendship in stone, quite like the Uchiha and Hagoromo clan. The Elder Eijiro had married the daughter of the Hagoromo clan's leader in his youth and it had helped solidify their alliance.

Madara glowered at the priestess.

"Well, what exactly do you want to know?" she asked, sounding a little exasperated. She would have normally gone down to the nearby village to set up shop for a few hours, reading love fortunes for anyone willing to pay her, but he had kept her from leaving and she had grown impatient.

Madara told her to open the Fate Sphere and look into his pathways, but did not specify a reason. Truthfully, he wondered that himself. He didn't have an answer. Mio's handshake and the words she spoke turned him pensive.

"Madara," Yayoi called. "Is this about Mio?"

"Why does it have to do with Mio?" he asked, affronted.

"It's always Mio," she said matter-of-factly. "If you want to know anything about her future, you won't."

"Why?"

"Mio gave me a little bit of advice concerning the Fate Sphere: the first being that I would never be able to see my own pathways, the next being that I should never intentionally dig too far into one's pathways because it messes with nature's outcome, and three, to avoid looking at her pathways unless it can't be helped. I hope you know that means never look into her pathways. She hates the future. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that." Yayoi leaned over the table, staring down at the glowing lines that had branched out from the center of the scroll. The lines signified Madara's pathways, the many outcomes of his future that were determined by the decisions he made in his life. "Mio put a block on her pathways. I can't look at them, but I can see her through yours."

Yayoi paused. "Is this about Izuna telling her you're looking for a wife?" His long silence gave him away because the priestess smiled mischievously. "Did she say something to you?"

"Only that she wanted to talk when she returned."

Yayoi's face brightened, as if her wasted time was suddenly worthwhile. "I bet she's jealous!"

He snorted. That sounded absurd. What reason did Mio have to be jealous?

"What?" she asked. "You don't think she is capable of jealousy? If you are, she is too. I mean, the last thing I would want is for the man I'm in love with to be searching for a wife elsewhere. The level of disrespect, Madara, is shameful on your part."

"I am not—"

"You're not, maybe, but what about Shoukou? He is literally searching high and low for suitable women," Yayoi interjected. "Did you know he consulted me about a list of women? Yes, he literally asked if I could delve into your pathways and these random women's pathways and see what marriage would benefit you."

"And? Did you show him?" he asked, a bit accusingly.

"No," she said snappishly, "it was an invasion of privacy. So, I told him he would have to ask for your permission."

Madara had been under the impression that Shoukou, one of the new advisors, had requested an audience with him that evening to discuss news concerning the Sun Country as he had been overseeing all new information they learned alongside Jouji, the man in charge of all of the clan's spies. Now that he knew Shoukou wanted to discuss potential brides, he felt irritated.

"Of course, I went ahead and looked," Yayoi admitted.

Madara rolled his eyes, wondering why he expected any better from her. She snooped whether one liked it or not. He considered asking Mio to put a block on his pathways to stop her from looking, but he doubted that would make a difference.

"It's not quite as interesting as I thought," she continued, "but I suppose with the right decisions, you'd have your—"

Madara and Yayoi turned to the door, distracted by the sound of heavy footfalls coming towards the sitting room. The doors were pushed apart by Uchiha Minako, the daughter of the deceased Uchiha Taiga who once served as Guardian of the Vision Sphere. She was a small girl with mousy hair bundled up into a knot atop her head.

"Madara!" the girl shouted.

"What is it, Minako?"

"Izuna came back. He's outside on the porch moping," Minako told him. "Granny wants you to see what's wrong with him. She also said that if you couldn't fix him, you should drag him inside the house."

Madara found it peculiar that Izuna had not found him upon arrival.

Izuna had made it a habit of meeting him whether it was dawn or the wee hours of the night to discuss the results of his negotiations.

After Taiga's death, Madara and Izuna had inherited the full responsibilities of being leaders of their clan, and for several months, they had struggled to find the natural balance they had accomplished under Taiga's sound counsel. Taiga had taken care of maintaining the clan's alliances to other clans, as well as their relations with many lords within the Fire Country and those in several neighboring countries, along with a daimyo or two. When the responsibility had fallen to the two of them, Madara had assigned a youth called Arata that their retired Head of Intelligence, Jouji, had recommended, but everything had gone disastrous and they ended up losing one of their benefactors to the Senju clan. Madara had taken over for a spell, but all the journeying that it required had detracted from his other duties.

Izuna had come to volunteer after a year of lost contracts, more war, and many struggles, admitting that he hadn't before because he enjoyed watching him suffer. Madara had his qualms about having his brother fronting the negotiations and Izuna had not made it any better when he said, "I will do my best to be as persuasive as Taiga, so that I may return to continue doing nothing while you do everything." That had worried him terribly as Taiga's methods of persuasion had been rumored to be nothing short of shameless; though believing his brother would not turn to such methods would be a naive thought. Izuna loved the Uchiha clan and would do everything for it to endure the war that plagued the world.

Despite his worries, Izuna had succeeded and had been journeying from country to country, from castle to castle, addressing all the lesser lords and many daimyos as an envoy to renew or establish new treaties to protect and serve them in their conflicts in return of a fee and goods. The Uchiha clan had flourished since the Artifact War's conclusion, though the amount of conflicts against the Senju clan and other rival clans had risen.

However, that had been the least of his worries since he had made the decision to help the priestess, Motou Yayoi, reassemble her clan and reunite with her brother. The problem was that the Sun Country had been closed off to the world since Motou Ayuka had gone there to die post-Artifact War. Izuna had been tasked with finding a way to reach the island as no port or sailor had been willing after a rumor spread that Mikazuki Rikuto had been sinking all ships that had come near it three years ago. This had Izuna going all over the Lightning Country in search of a new partnership along the coastal provinces.

Madara expected to hear news, good or bad, as soon as Izuna entered their territory, but his brother had not made it past their grandmother's home. Izuna had remained outside their grandmother's home in the countryside and had only been around to greet their old relative, who had been sitting outside tuning her samisen while enjoying the autumn leaves scattering in the wind according to Minako.

Madara approached the verandah where his brother sat at the steps. He took the seat beside him, breathing in the crisp air. Apart from the exaggerated gloom on his face, Izuna was without a scratch on him, which relieved Madara.

"I saw Mio again," Izuna blurted.

"Since she last visited?" Madara made sure his face was neutral like his tone.

He nodded. "I was nearby, so I went to see her."

"The Tea Country is not nearby."

"It only took three days to get there."

Madara grimaced, but curious, asked, "How was she?"

Izuna turned to him, disgruntled. "I kissed her."

"What?" he asked. He didn't think he heard that correctly.

"You heard me, I kissed her," Izuna repeated, half-shouting.

Now he needed him to shut up. "You did _what_?"

"Like you've never done it!" his brother defended, leaving him flabbergasted. "I bet you kiss her all the time!"

"I don't!" he snapped defensively. "So why are you doing it?"

"Why not?" Izuna jumped to his feet, whirling around to face him. His eyebrows were drawn together. "I wanted to kiss her, so I did! You obviously weren't doing it!"

Madara stood abruptly, seizing his brother by the shirt on impulse. "Mio is—"

"What, brother?" Izuna challenged. "What is Mio to you? Three years have gone by and neither one of you has made the effort to be together! You cannot expect me to have Mio tell me that you are her future and then drop it like none of it ever happened!"

Madara flushed, emotion boiling in his blood, and he released him. "That's—"

"I wasn't angry that you wanted to be together, but I will be angry if you decide to be too much of a coward and not do anything about being together. If you are serious about Mio, marry her!"

He stared at Izuna, stunned into silence.

"And you better be serious about her, brother, because if you are not, I am not giving up on her until I make her my wife," Izuna promised. "And you know how hard that will be."

Madara clenched his jaw to keep himself from punching him when Izuna grabbed hold of him. There was more to be considered than his brother had, as they were still sorting through their guilt. Hearing his brother practically goad over how easy it would be to make Mio his irritated the hell out of him. It wasn't a lie. Mio had been willing to marry his brother before knowing she could not love him romantically because she would be doing it to see him happy. Now, if they didn't do anything about their current relationship, Mio would become his sister-in-law.

"Is that what she was? A one-time passion?" Izuna spat after their lengthy stand-off.

Madara punched him, making him stagger backward. "She was not!" he snapped. "I would have never betrayed you if I was not serious, if I did not—"

"Then stop being a coward!"

The mere suggestion that Mio was just any woman, to be enjoyed briefly and abandoned, infuriated him to the point remembering the accusation made him want to hit his brother a second time. As he was about to, he heard the sound of Yayoi's shouting seconds before she grabbed hold of his arm to stop him, but he jerked it away.

"What is wrong with you?" Yayoi criticized, directing the question to both of them.

Izuna wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth before hitting Madara in retaliation. Madara stood his ground despite the hit making his face throb in pain.

Yayoi cut in between them a second time to prevent another exchange of blows.

"Stop!" Yayoi shouted.

Izuna shoved past her. "You are in love with her, admit it! Everyone knows!"

"Who knows?" Madara blurted.

"Everyone!"

"Why are you fighting over Mio? I thought we were done with this!" the priestess cried. "How stupid are you?"

"This does not concern you!" Madara and Izuna barked in unison.

Affronted, Yayoi used her body as a barrier to prevent the fight from escalating. "Do you know how ridiculous you look fighting over a girl?"

"I told you to stay out of this Yayoi," Madara shouted.

"Go read love fortunes for the village!" Izuna added.

"The only way you'll get me to leave is to remove me by force!" Yayoi challenged, looking to both of them and daring them to try. "You both look stupid! Sit down and talk about this like people!"

Stopping Madara and Izuna would be an impossible feat, which Yayoi learned quickly as she found herself screaming at them in the background after being shoved there. Her protestations came to an abrupt end around the time Madara criticized his brother for breaking one of his ribs. In fact, the priestess was no longer standing in his field of vision like before.

"So? You broke my nose!" Izuna shot back. True to his claim, his nose was a little off and there was blood flowing from it, staining his shirt.

The two were standing before one another, catching their breath, though doing so proved quite painful for Madara as he held a hand to his chest, covering the bruising area above the fracture. He glanced around him briefly, but did not catch sight of the priestess.

"Where's Yayoi?" Madara asked breathlessly.

"She probably went to…get—"

"I'm behind you!" Yayoi's voice came from the rear, followed by the sound of fingers snapping.

Madara and Izuna both turned to the shocking sight of the priestess standing near with a small group of people fronted by the woman who was the reason for their childish bout. Uchiha Mio stared upon their bruised, bloodied states with a somber look. Born to Uchiha parents, she was light-skinned with dark, wavy hair that fell past her shoulders braided loosely over one, with strands framing her face. She wore a sleeveless, turtleneck shirt that molded to her body under a loose kimono top tied by a sash with the Kuronuma crest, which resembled a string of smoke twisting into two semi-circles coupled with a pair of small dots above the smallest curve, on her back and a pair of pants underneath.

"Don't stop on our account," Uzumaki Nako said. "It was just getting interesting."

Nako's red hair had grown from the boyish cut she sported three years ago and it was held in a high ponytail that fell past the nape of her neck. Her green eyes danced, full of life. She was dressed in a white kimono shirt with a patterned collar tied together in a pink sash with white trousers underneath and a white haori that bore the Uzumaki's crest, a spiral in black, wrapped about her waist. Compared to her traveling companions, she wore the most layers, better suited against the crisp autumn winds.

"Now is not the time for encouragement, Nako," Kuronuma Takuto said, making the Uzumaki concede with a pout. Takuto, the clan's leader, towered over every person present at six feet and five inches. The Kuronuma tended to be of similar coloring, olive skinned with stark, white hair and eyes of different shades of rose—ranging from the lightest pink to the darkest red. However, Takuto was blond and was a little slender in comparison to other Kuronuma males, though it was not a drawback in his strength. He possessed the same physical ability that set the Kuronuma clan apart from other shinobi, but he devoted his strength and intelligence to medical ninjutsu.

His shaggy hair fell a little above his chin, half tied up and half down. It did not surprise anyone to see him dressed in a pair of short trousers and a sleeveless kimono top with the Kuronuma crest sewn underneath the back of his collar.

Mio moved to stand before Madara and Izuna as they composed themselves, despite looking at her shamefully. She went to Izuna first and reached out to hug him, squeezing him hard on purpose until he patted her back continuously.

"Okay, okay, Mio, I'm sorry!" Izuna cried.

She pulled back, staring at his broken nose. "Let me get your nose."

"No!" Izuna ducked out of the way. "Takuto can do it." He slithered out of sight. "Takuto!"

Mio walked to Madara. "Can we talk?"

"You should have Takuto heal that rib of his!" Izuna shouted, before cursing loudly after Takuto set his nose back. "I got him good, serves him right!"

"Shut up!" Madara snapped.

"Hold this to your nose," Takuto advised. "You'll bleed for a bit. If it doesn't stop, I'll give you something for that."

Takuto told Madara to sit at the edge of the verandah where he proceeded to alleviate the pain of his chest, while Yayoi escorted everyone inside having been asked to do so by Mio, who wanted privacy. Takuto was the last to enter the house, sealing the shoji screens behind him. Everyone's overlapping voices drifted further into his grandmother's home before they seemed too far to follow.

Madara and Mio were left alone, engulfed in an uncomfortable silence. He did not expect to see her, not so abruptly. She never came unannounced, impulsive as she was. She made it a habit to send word days in advance. That was something his grandmother had ingrained in her when she was training under her.

Mio walked forward, pressing her warm hands on either side of his face. Her touch, though gentle, made him wince as his brother had done a wondrous job at punching his face. She noticed and hesitated, but he reached to take her wrists reassuringly, keeping her warm touch in place a moment longer.

She pulled her hands from his face.

"What was so urgent that you made this trip without sending word?" he asked, hoping it had nothing to do with anything Izuna confessed.

"Izuna came to the Iron Country," Mio answered.

Madara scraped his palm down his face. "I sent him to the Tea Country, how did he end up in the Iron Country? How does he always end up in the Iron Country? I hope you know what he is doing?"

"I know exactly what he is doing, but that does not mean I was not the least bit curious," she replied. "So, I came to speak to you about options."

"Options?"

"For wives?"

He inwardly cursed that it was about the wife business. "I have received offers from other shinobi clans desiring to start an alliance, but I informed them I was not interested in marriage," he responded. "I am not taking a wife. Izuna should not have told you I was searching for one when I am not."

"Izuna told me about the clans attempting to correspond with you and I found one to be particularly suiting, talented shinobi, admirable leader with a beautiful daughter," she said seriously. "I understand your refusal but—"

"You should not believe everything Izuna says," Madara said, annoyed. "He would like to see me married so that he can marry you."

"I know that and we spoke about it—"

He bristled. "You considered it?"

"Izuna has always been my first choi—of course, this is about you," she said, quick to correct herself as his glare intensified. "Izuna and I discussed it and we found someone we could agree on. She comes from a powerful shinobi family. Izuna has seen her and deemed her of appropriate beauty—"

"What does that even mean?" Madara interjected. "This is ridiculous, Mio. I am not interested—"

"Listen!" she cut in, seeming nervous. He wondered if he was imagining it, but her ears were starting to redden. "I was not done. You see, before I tell you about this wonderful woman, I wanted to tell you about a more reasonable choice. She is…far from being a suitable wife, but she does hail from an old clan. However, you will find that you cannot rely on that clan's strength, which would make for a poor choice, but they can give you protection."

An old clan unable to provide their strength, but capable of protecting them, made him realize she was speaking of the Kuronuma clan.

"And the woman?" he asked, curious to hear her answer.

"Are you interested in marriage now?"

"Perhaps."

Mio lowered her eyes, smiling weakly. "I understand that the Kuronuma clan is not ideal," she said. "We are a formidable clan, but we worship peace. We have a terrible reputation in the shinobi world. We have strange power, but no intention of using it." She did not leave him opportunity to interrupt, though he opened his mouth to do so. "I can offer you nothing that could benefit the Uchiha clan," she admitted, finally looking at him, "but I want to marry you."

It surprised him to hear her say it, unsure she would ever come to accept an offer he had given only her. He caught himself staring at her like a fool, recovering quickly before words escaped him. He tried to keep a level head.

"Do you?" he breathed.

"I do," she said strangely, as if her voice had been wrung from her throat. "I want to marry you, but…but I have conditions."

"Did you hear that?" Yayoi asked critically, the sound of her voice drifting to his ears dampening the mood. He should have known better than to trust anyone in that house to respect privacy. "She has conditions."

"Shut up, Yayoi," Nako whispered harshly.

"Yes, some of us are trying to eavesdrop unnoticed," Takuto added, equally low. "Do you know how hard that is with Madara? His sensory skills are insanely difficult to circumvent."

"Yes, but we all know Mio kills his sensory skills dead," Nako remarked. "He needs better discipline."

"Shhhh! I can't hear them anymore!" Yayoi complained.

"That's because they're not saying anything," Takuto said.

Madara and Mio stared at one another. The silence that passed between them conferred their determination to ignore the eavesdroppers in the room beyond the verandah. The idiots had no sense of what whispering was. They were practically shouting at one another.

"The union has to solidify a permanent alliance between the Kuronuma clan and Uchiha clan," Mio continued. "No matter what, there must be no conflict between any of our clansmen. Ever."

"Can you make that decision?" asked Madara.

"I am making the decision on Takuto's behalf," she responded. "The Kuronuma clan needs the protection of a clan like this one. In turn, you might find use in our resources to arm yourselves against future attacks."

"Can she do that?" Yayoi asked skeptically. "You let her make these decisions for you? Are you what they call a…_pushover_?"

"I am not a pushover," Takuto protested.

"You are a pushover," Nako whispered. "You do everything she says. You should have just let her become leader."

"She didn't want to be leader!"

"What is your next condition?" Madara continued, trying to ignore their ongoing chattering.

"The Kuronuma clan is not to be expected to be active participants in any of your wars," she said, earning a frown. "It we are provoked, we will attack, and if we see one of yours in danger, we will protect them, but we will not kill others simply because they are your enemies. Our clan was born on the foundation of peace and protection. Not to mention your worst enemies are members of the same collective you once served. My clan will not raise our blades against them."

He would not win this particular argument, so he agreed with a curt nod.

"Next, I want children," she stated. "Many of them." She gestured towards the house. "Enough to fill this house."

He did not believe it possible to fill the entire house, but he would not deny her children if she desired them. She deserved to have the life she wanted and he would give it to her if he could.

"Any others?"

"I want all of them to be girls," she deadpanned.

Madara felt his eye twitch.

"Impossible," the eavesdroppers said in unison.

"You are aware your firstborn is a boy called Shinra, are you not?" he asked, watching her face change in indignation. "Or are we completely ignoring the Artifact War we fought because of him?"

"No, that definitely happened, but I have a plan," she said, and he groaned inwardly. A chorus of complaints could be heard behind him. "Do not make that face, the plan is perfect. We _will _have daughters."

"That condition is idiotic," he snapped. "You cannot decide you are having a _litter _of daughters—"

"Do not call it a _litter_, I am not an animal!"

"Doesn't it feel like all is well in the world?" Izuna's chimed in. "Madara and Mio are fighting again. When is the last time you heard them raise their voices at each other?"

"Three years," a chorus of familiar voices answered.

"It's been boring, they're overdue for some suspense," Yayoi remarked. "We need drama. Izuna, we need more drama!"

"I agree," his brother cheerfully responded. "More drama!"

He should have known his brother had lingered with them to instigate such a conversation. He had reason to suspect everyone had crammed themselves inside the small sitting room to eavesdrop on the conversation after they pretended to leave.

"It only is when they are having these stupid arguments," his grandmother's gravelly voice answered. "A litter of daughters, puh." The old woman laughed heartily. "Daughters would drive him mad. He won't last a minute."

There was laughter overlapping with his voice and Mio's.

"You are the one that wants a lot of children!" Madara yelled.

"And you are opposed to that?" she retorted.

"No, but you cannot decide a child's gender," he responded. "This isn't a market! We are not buying a child! Are you an idiot?"

"I want daughters! We have the Fate Sphere and I will make it happen!"

"Fine! Then we will have them!"

Behind the shoji, he heard the women giggling.

"Good!" Mio said, breathing deeply.

Madara huffed, regaining his equanimity. "Is that all?"

She nodded firmly.

"Good," he said. "Then, we should marry."

Mio smiled. Her hands were shaking and her ears were a bright red. Madara covered them, amused that she looked down embarrassed, and kissed her forehead. For a minute, they were able to forget everyone was eavesdropping on the most intimate conversation they had in years. There was a lot more to say, but it would not be right to discuss it now. He wanted to enjoy the moment, knowing Mio would be his. Only his.

"So, when do you think they will marry?" Uchiha Kana, his grandmother's caretaker, answered.

Just how many people were crammed in that room?

"We should ask them," Nako suggested earnestly.

"No!" Takuto and Yayoi protested.

"We don't want them to know we heard everything," Takuto whispered.

"We need privacy," Madara whispered, leaning forward so their foreheads touched.

"We should surprise them," Mio suggested.

He nodded.

Mio stalked up the stairs of the verandah and pulled apart the shoji to expose the roomful of culprits, who nonchalantly pretended to have gathered to enjoy tea together as Kana, a brown-haired woman in an apron, distributed sweets to go along with it.

"Oh, Mio? Would you like tea?" Takuto asked cheerfully.

"I expect a quick ceremony," Uchiha Sachiyo said sternly, and everyone made a sound in protest. His grandmother shot them a scathing look. The aged woman was white-haired, wrinkled, but stout with a proud mien. "Silence, children, I have but a few years left in me and I want to see this litter of daughters that these two plan to have."

Madara saw Mio visibly bristle at the word _litter._

"Isn't it proper to host an engagement ceremony beforehand?" Kana asked, looking to the older woman. "Especially with the clan expectation. There should be some forewarning to the clan's advisors."

Sachiyo waved her hand dismissively. "The clan's advisors acted on their own when they decided to search for a bride when Madara would undoubtedly decide on Mio. It was only a matter of time." She stared at them directly. "I am, however, grateful that you decided to do so before I died. I am quite hopeful in the prospect of great-grandchildren." She zeroed in on Mio. "I remember your great-grandmother had a wealth of children, so I have no doubt that you will do your duty and give this clan an heir quickly. So, do not slack off."

Mio's ears turned a bright red, her embarrassment palpable.

His grandmother looked to Madara next. "And you," she started, "I expect you to do right by her. So, marry her quickly and give her as many daughters as she wants. Don't ask too many questions, just do it." She left her cup of tea on the table and stood on shaky legs. "Come, Kana, take me to my room."

"Yes, madam." Kana gathered the round, wooden tray she brought with her before accompanied Sachiyo out of the room, congratulating them as she went.

Mio remained at the door glaring at the thinned group. Madara waited, staring at each of them as they returned his glares with quizzical looks.

Izuna left his seat before the others and stood in front of Madara, placing both hands on his shoulders. "See, not difficult at all, was it?" he asked, smiling. "Even though it took my kissing Mio for us to get this far."

Mio snapped in their direction, perplexed. "What?"

"It was a little white lie, Mio, nothing to worry about," said Izuna, waving his hand to dismiss it. He turned to the others. "I think we should leave them to enjoy the moment."

"Is that the reason you are both in this state?" she demanded.

"You saw them fighting, did you not?" Yayoi asked, a hand on her hip and a scowl on her face. "Why else would they be fighting over?"

"We assumed it was something stupid," Takuto commented, glimpsing at Nako, who nodded.

"We never imagined it was this stupid," Nako added.

Mio stared at them disappointedly. Izuna smiled, guiltless, and Madara's frown deepened. Knowing his brother as he did, he cursed himself for failing to see it had been another of his ploys. However, he would not deny that there wasn't an inkling of truth in Izuna's threats. He would marry Mio if Madara didn't.

Kana appeared at the doorway several minutes later, snapping her fingers to break the silence. "The kitchen staff prepared food, those two other Kuronumas and the kids are already eating, so you should all go have something to eat. I'll have someone prepare rooms for you upstairs. Come on."

"Let's have something to eat, Mio," Takuto suggested. "We should introduce Taiki and Kaori, too."

Mio nodded. She was the first to leave the room, following Kana to the dining area with everyone else following close behind. Kana slid apart the shoji for them and they entered one after the other. Two square tables sat connected to one another and they were laden with several platters of food.

The two Kuronuma adults that had accompanied Mio were in the middle of fighting with the white-haired twins that refused to eat. Mio pulled one of the four-year-old girls into her arms, a child with her white hair plaited down the side of her round face. Takuto took the shorthaired twin with big, heavily lashed eyes that were a light shade of pink.

The twins lost their parents when the Mikazuki clan invaded Mt. Hyōga four years ago when they were infants. As their last remaining blood relative, Mio had taken them into her care when she returned to the Kuronuma clan and Takuto had helped her, the two having become parents for the two.

"We started without you, Shugosha, Takuto-sama, Nako-san," the female Kuronuma said respectfully. She was a petite woman with pale hair tied in a knot atop her head and magenta-colored eyes. "I hope you don't mind."

Mio gestured to her, introducing her as Kuronuma Kaori, then waved her hand in the direction of an enormous man with the look of a Kuronuma male—towering over six feet and bulging with muscles—who wore his white hair combed back neatly and dubbed him Taiki.

"They are members of the Council of Elders," Mio revealed, smiling.

"We are the youngest members, all three of us," Kaori corrected, referring to herself, Taiki, and Mio. "The rest are over fifty and fastidiously grumpy."

Madara welcomed them into his house as Izuna moved forward to greet the two, having met them in the Iron Country during one of his many visits. His brother took his seat and served himself a bowl of rice to start his meal. Nako took the opportunity to do the same, pulling food onto an empty plate.

Yayoi cooed over the girl in Mio's arms. "Who are these lovely girls?"

"Yuuka," Mio introduced. "She is the oldest."

"And this would be Noe," Takuto added, holding up the youngest twin for Yayoi to fawn over.

"Are they yours?" Yayoi asked, looking onto the Kuronuma elders who scowled in disgust at the thought of being considered a couple.

"They're ours," Takuto said, wrapping an arm around Mio.

Clearly misunderstanding, the priestess gasped. "You shameless harlot!" she cried at Mio, and then rounded on the blond man beside her. "And you! You oaf! Feel some shame! How dare you put your filthy hands on her? Madara just asked her to marry him!"

"Well, the Shugosha did do the proposing," Kaori remarked, earning a look that left her stumbling for words. "I mean, that was the plan, was it not, Shugosha?"

"Kaori-san?" Takuto called, smiling.

"Yes?"

"Just stop."

Yayoi's outrage continued. "How could you do this to him, Mio? I believed in you! I always thought you were strong enough to resist the call of a handsome man, but I was wrong! I am—"

"Why are you shouting?" Izuna cut in. "They are Okimi and Enya's children."

"What?" Yayoi snapped. Her face twisted in confusion. "Wait, who are Okimi and Enya?"

"Okimi was my cousin," Mio clarified, setting Yuuka on her feet. The small girl frowned up at her in objection.

"Oh? I had no idea you had a cousin," Yayoi said, nodding. "So where is she?"

"Okimi and Enya died on Mt Hyōga when Mikazuki Rikuto invaded," Madara replied, stepping past them to take his own seat.

"Mikazuki Rikuto?" Yayoi blinked in acknowledgement. "Oh, I remember him."

"You probably wanted to have his children," Izuna teased, laughing at her horror.

"That's absurd!" Yayoi sputtered, her face burning bright red proving the truth in Izuna's words. "I would never think that of any of Ayuka's children."

Madara felt himself choke on his tea, snapping his attention to Yayoi. "What? Ayuka had other children."

"What?" Izuna questioned. It was news to him, too.

"She had two sons, Gouki and Rikuto," Mio answered.

Mikazuki Rikuto was the reason they were unable to enter the Sun Country. Learning of his relation to Ayuka helped him understand why he would have gone through such lengths to forbid entry after the priestess's death. However, the new information beckoned a whirl of new suspicions.

"How do you know that?" Madara asked.

"I know everything about all of my potential enemies," she said laxly, "but I doubt we'll have to worry about him. He's too docile."

Taken aback, Izuna asked, "Docile? What's docile about a man that sinks ships left and right?"

"He isn't that bad," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Did he sink your boat, Mio?" Izuna demanded. "You said you went to make sure Ayuka was dead, didn't you?"

Mio turned to stare at Madara with intensity. "You told him?"

"He tells me _everything_."

Her glare intensified.

"I don't tell him everything," Madara said quickly. "He was the one eavesdropping."

"I would never eavesdrop!" Izuna said, scandalized.

At that, both Madara and Mio faced him, their expressions begging him to lie himself out of that one. There was not one person in the house that did not eavesdrop and they had proven that when they overheard their conversation turned proposal from start to finish.

"I might have been walking by," Izuna conceded. "Might have."

"He sank my boat," Mio admitted.

"Docile? Really, Mio? Docile?" Yayoi shook her head, going on a rant on every reason Mikazuki Rikuto was not compliant, but Mio remained unfazed by the argument. "He sank your boat! You're afraid of water!"

"He apologized for it."

"And that's enough? So if I try to drown you in the lake and apologized, you would forgive me?" Yayoi challenged.

"If you were sincere I would."

"Madara! Talk sense to her."

"I'm going to talk with Sachiyo," Mio said, standing. "We can talk sense into me later."

Yayoi and Izuna both stared at him expectantly, but Madara shrugged. Talking sense into her was the same as teaching a wall to talk. He was not going to waste time on it because it wouldn't work.

Madara found it hard to imagine anyone related to Ayuka as docile, especially when they managed to garner a reputation for sinking ships, whether they carried innocent people or shinobi. Somehow, he didn't fully trust Mio told him the whole story concerning her secret trip to the Sun Country three years ago, but that argument was better suited for another day.

* * *

><p><strong>xl<strong>: We are definitely starting light.

I considered having Madara and Mio marry later on in the story, but figured they wouldn't have the time to do it. They are going to be super busy. So, I figured I might as well, since I wanted them to go on with it. I think the chapters fit with the month, too. Since there's Christmas, if you celebrate it, and New Year's. I never thought about it before.

The next chapter goes up on **Dec 24**. Since I posted the story on Mio's birthday, I figured I might as well post the next chapter for Madara's. So, I'll see you then!

Thank you for reading! :D

P.S. There is a preview for the next chapter available at my livejournal.


	3. The Preparations

Chapter **02** | The Preparations

* * *

><p>Mio and Madara had been given strict instruction concerning their contribution to their forthcoming ceremony and it had been that they were to do nothing. Sachiyo had banned them from having an active role. Mio had appreciated her verdict and the readiness with which Sachiyo had decided to front the preparations, as Mio had known all too well that if the duty had fallen upon herself and Madara, they would have gotten nothing done. The others had been quick to offer themselves for different purposes with Sachiyo's approval.<p>

Yayoi prepared for the Binding Ceremony—marriage as per the Motou clan's religious beliefs, which was considered the ultimate form of marital bonding. She had volunteered herself because she had refused to have the go-to Shinto priest lecture her again on her preferred religion. Also, they had apparently had a spat a few weeks prior to Mio's arrival, one that had escalated quickly from verbal to physical. Takuto had agreed to help Yayoi in her preparations when the priestess offered her services because he had wanted to integrate as many of the Kuronuma clan's marriage customs as possible.

The two spent the better portion of each day discussing the finer details of the service. The last thing Mio had gathered from their whisperings was that Takuto intended to procure a black-barked tree unique in that it flowered under extremely harsh weather conditions. She knew the tree's growth was of great significance regarding the couple marrying as a pillar that withstood winter's cruelty by surging to life while nature suffered, reduced to barren, long limbs. For several hours, Mio had wondered where the tree would be planted and asked Madara for his opinion.

"By the lake," he had answered promptly.

"Why the lake?" she had asked.

"There isn't enough shade and you like to fish, don't you?"

"Ah?" Mio's ears had reddened, though she should not have been so surprised by the thoughtfulness behind the suggestion.

"Well, you do."

She had not had the opportunity to indulge in any morning fishing due to the beginning of a new training regimen she had devised, but she had missed it, particularly fishing at the lake within the Uchiha clan's territory. She had developed a liking for it after fishing for hours on end in order to fill all of Madara's drawers with her catch. It had been for revenge, but she had forgotten what it was that he had done.

When Madara had noticed her reddened ears, her face had flushed and she had run off, leaving him utterly confused. Madara had later gone to share the experience with Izuna, who had scoffed and called him clueless, offering no resolution before he had abandoned him to his bewilderment.

The preparations for the wedding continued. Mio learned that Kana was in charge of the food for the celebration. The post-ceremonial festivities would include the attendance of both Kuronuma and Uchiha clans as well as several of their closest allies, like the Ito clan of the Waterfall Country, the Samurai Guild of the Iron Country, and the Hagoromo clan. With Sachiyo and Kana discussing other potential guests, the list had expanded to the point that Kana had hired seven new cooks to help in the reception.

Madara eventually complained about hiring new kitchen staff and Kana retaliated by exchanging the reception's menu to everything he hated. She refused to change it back until he apologized, which he through gritted teeth with Izuna having to hold his head down in a bow.

"You need to do something about this," Madara told Mio, shortly after that encounter.

"About what?" she asked.

"About those cooks. It's a waste. We have to stop her."

"Okay," she agreed nonchalantly, "but Kana won't listen to me."

"Just go."

Mio went to Kana for the three consecutive days to make a suggestion out of Madara's demand, but nobody was fooling Kana. As punishment for agreeing to do Madara's bidding, Mio was forced to help Kana gut fish for an entire week. Mio cried doing it, completely and utterly disgusted by the slimy feel of every dead tuna and salmon passed down to her, until Madara realized she was being tortured and swore he would keep his opinions to himself. Only then, did Kana release her to continue observing the others' collaboration.

Mineta Sako had temporarily taken up residence in Sachiyo's house after volunteering to do the decorations. She and Nako spent the greater portion of every day making paper lanterns. They informed Mio and Madara that they planned to have them hung throughout the compound, and when Madara told them it was excessive, Minako came to kick him in the back of the knee, dropping him on his face. Mio was too fascinated by their work on the bright red lanterns to realize Madara had gone after Minako in a rage after the humiliation or that Izuna was in the hallway with Yayoi howling in laughter.

As the second week of preparations ended, Taiki arrived from the Iron Country with a large group of their Kuronuma clansmen excited to see their Shugosha married. Kaori helped them set up their encampment behind Sachiyo's house where the sight of the clustered yurts made Mio nostalgic. She missed Mt Hyōga as she recalled it at fifteen, filled with houses seated atop snowy planes, their roofs covered with freshly fallen snow.

Shortly thereafter, Mio became aware that the attention several Uchiha extended towards her and the Kuronuma clan was filled with restrained animus. Rumor had reached her that the Uchiha clan did not view her as a suitable wife, as their clan would not benefit from an alliance to a group of pacifists. It had not come to her as a surprise, so she had decided to pay it no mind. However, word of mouth soon turned into Uchiha shinobi heckling Kuronuma shinobi and the rise of several one-sided squabbles over arguments of how she spelled doom to their clan after many barely survived the Artifact War. She understood their worries, particularly their protectiveness over Madara, whom they feared would inevitably be killed by his stance as an ex-Guardian. Madara and Izuna quieted the voices, but they could not stop the tension from existing between the two clans. She wanted to think the Uchiha simply needed more time to grow accustomed to the Kuronuma clan before they could accept them.

Following the third week of preparations, Mio had found herself overwhelmed by the events that had transpired, long after the rain subsided, but Izuna surprised her by bringing a kimono maker of generous fame to make her robes for the ceremony. Izuna sat in the room as Koike Tetsuo took her measurements and draped different fabrics over her clothes to find the one that suited her best. She enjoyed the distraction for what it was, particularly picking out the silk that would be constructed into her formal robes. Koike left after several hours of his service, promising to return within the next two weeks with his apprentice to do a fitting.

Yayoi had also commissioned new robes for the ceremony at Izuna's suggestions several months earlier, but had not gotten around to do her fitting because Mio and Madara had not been engaged then. The priestess would be traveling to the Tea Country where Koike's workshop was located to do her fitting, but she had an ulterior motive in going there personally. She wanted to meet Koike's cute apprentice.

Later that evening, Sachiyo asked Mio to sit with her for tea and requested that she find Madara to join them. Mio suspected she wanted to talk to them about the wedding, which was all but a month away, so she did as Sachiyo asked of her and hunted Madara down, catching him in the middle of a sparring session with his brother. She stood in wait for the match to conclude before stealing Madara away from a rematch after Izuna bested him in taijutsu.

Sachiyo frowned at the state Madara entered her sitting room. "Sit, Mio," she said, gesturing Mio to a cushion, but when Madara made a move to do so, she stopped him. "You stay on your feet."

Kana entered shortly with a wooden tray holding a steaming kettle and three cups. She poured green tea for the three and quickly excused herself.

When the door clasped shut, Sachiyo began, "I do not like you two doing nothing."

"You're the one that asked us to stay out of everything," Madara retorted.

"And I did well in doing so as everything is coming along nicely," Sachiyo said proudly. "However, you meddled with Kana."

"I see no reason to hire seven new cooks," said Madara.

"The ceremony is private, but the reception is not and there are many guests attending," Sachiyo remarked. "Kana cannot be expected to do everything with the two cooks we already had. We needed more. It was a necessary expense."

"And the excessive decorations?" Madara challenged.

"If I could, I would simply not invite you to the affair, but seeing as you are integral to the ceremony I cannot do this, so you must stop your complaining."

Mio looked from Sachiyo to Madara curiously as the tension between the two rose.

"Holding a lavish reception does us more harm than good," he argued. "Any one of our enemies could attack us and find us unguarded."

"I have spoken to Takuto and he has agreed that if such an attack should occur, the Kuronuma clan would provide us protection." Sachiyo informed. "They want to see Mio married badly."

Madara shot Mio a look, seeking her support.

"We can ask Yayoi to look into our pathways if it would ease your worry," she offered as his look turned into a glare.

"No, I would rather spare Yayoi the thrill of knowing more than she should," Madara said, turning back to his grandmother. "Why did you ask us to come?"

"You two have too much time on your hands," Sachiyo stated. "Which is why starting tomorrow you will be in charge of Minako and Yukimura, as well as the twins. Sako needs all the time she can get on decorations. There is much to do still and she cannot do it with two children."

Yukimura was Minako's little brother, a one year old boy with golden hair. Mio brightened, itching to become acquainted with Sako's son after a brief introduction. "Okay."

Madara eyed her in disapproval. He had enough grief with Minako running around with Izuna, both plotting away as they were known to do whenever his brother was home. And though the twins were more calm in nature, they liked to be carried everywhere, and because of the weighted clothes they wore as per Kuronuma training methods, they were a lot heavier than they looked as the girls were perfectly capable of running around as if they were carrying their body's own natural weight.

"You should view this as training for when you give me all the great-grandchildren I was promised," Sachiyo told them. "I expect good news shortly after your marriage. You are both young, but you are not that young. Most shinobi your age would already be dead. Starting a family now is not a terrible idea."

Mio and Madara exchanged glances because there were plans for children, but not anytime soon. They turned to Sachiyo, both speaking simultaneously.

"But I thought we might wait until Yuuka and Noe were older—"

"And we have the Sun Country to—

Sachiyo silenced them with a wave of her hand. "You have Sako here, she would be happy to care for your children while you are out fighting your wars. It is not going to stop you. I did it. Your mothers and fathers did it. There were five of you at once and that worked."

"Yes, but if Mio is carrying a child, she will be indisposed," Madara argued, indisposed being a better word for useless.

Bristled, Mio responded, "I can still work with a child in me."

"Do you understand the sort of dangers you would be facing in that condition?"

"My mother had been hurt badly when I was in her," Mio said, though she had failed to mention it had been a miracle Kikyo's pregnancy had continued without issue, as the wounds she had suffered would have caused a miscarriage. "I survived. And you forget that I have the Time Sphere. It protects me."

"You are not taking one step into a battlefield when you are with child, Mio, with or without the Time Sphere protecting you," Madara decided.

Sachiyo took the opportunity to leave them, not curious enough to stay throughout the argument to see who would come out victorious because she knew there would be no winning between them, and there wasn't.

Mio sought Yayoi out to ask about her pathways with Madara following her reluctantly. Yayoi was all too happy to delve into their conjoining futures after unfurling the giant, ancient scroll that was the Fate Sphere. The priestess peered into it after Mio offered her chakra to unlock her pathways to her. Yayoi set her hand atop the scroll and directly underneath it lines twisted together into a sturdy trunk that represented Mio's past pathways coming together with all the decisions she made. The top portion branched into hundreds and thousands of limbs representing all future opportunities.

Yayoi's eyes were shining with curiosity when she suddenly gasped.

"What is it?" Madara demanded.

"No, it was nothing," Yayoi said, the excitement leaving her face. "I thought I saw when Shinra was coming along. Sadly, I was mistaken."

"You mean to say my first born, Umiho," Mio corrected.

"Umiho?" asked Madara, eyes narrowed at her. "You picked out a name?

"All my daughters, yes," she answered. "Umiho, Ringo, Natsume, Momo, Anzu, Mikan, Ichigo, Suika."

"Those are all fruits," Yayoi pointed out.

"I like them." Mio looked at Madara. "I can keep going. I have a dozen more names."

"But you have a son named Shinra," Yayoi said skeptically.

"So, what do you see about the ceremony?" asked Mio, changing the subject.

"What?" asked Yayoi, and then looked into the scroll. She quietly analyzed it. "No matter what way I look at it, we chose a good day to have you two married."

Despite the priestess's favorable prognostication, Madara remained dubious. Setting aside her own feelings on the matter—she witnessed the work that had gone into the ceremony and had grown more and more excited for the day to arrive quickly (as well as nervous, she was extremely anxious about marrying Madara)—she decided to approach Madara seriously later that evening.

Mio searched for Madara after he slipped out of the house when Sako appeared to take Yukimaru and Minako from their care. She was certain he stepped out sometime during her conversation with Sako. Mio suspected Madara was unhappy, but she feared addressing it, dreading that it had something to do with herself or that he had changed his mind. She threw those thoughts from her mind because she wanted to avoid making assumptions.

She found him in the small building beside the barn where Sachiyo kept the birdcages for her messenger hawks and his falcons. Madara was feeding his falcon, the largest of the crop and the one he used often to hunt. She stepped forward, bracing herself to ask to know his true feelings and to stand next to the birds without fainting, but a hand clasped her shoulder, stopping her. She turned to see Izuna, smiling down at her, before he walked on ahead towards his brother. She hid behind the barn when she heard Izuna call out to Madara, her heart hammering as her nervous anxiety was stunted.

"Izuna," said Madara, a bit distant. "What are you doing out this late? I thought you would be resting."

"I should be asking you the same question, brother," Izuna said. "Why are you out here? Mio already went to bed."

Mio's eyes widened.

"Oh."

"Oh? What kind of reaction is that? Shouldn't you be with her?"

There was a lengthy silence in which Madara said nothing and it made Mio increasingly uncomfortable eavesdropping. She considered leaving, but she couldn't move.

"What's wrong?" asked Izuna, finally serious. "Is it the wedding, the ceremony, or the bride?"

"It has nothing to do with Mio," Madara defended.

"Okay, then why is it that you look this miserable?" There was some shuffling of wings before the clasp of a lock on a birdcage sounded in the quiet night. "Grandmother told me you were worried about an attack, but do you really think anyone would risk attacking us on your wedding day? Your name inspires fear in people, brother. Nobody would be that stupid. Not to mention Mio and the Kuronuma clan have made something of a name for themselves after the Artifact War. Many clans suffered at the hand of Mikazuki Gouki and when people learned Mio killed him, you should expect them to not be in such a hurry to challenge her either. Besides, Yayoi gave the okay."

"We are in no position to be celebrating anything," Madara said firmly. "We have been fighting for three years nonstop and have rarely had this much time to waste."

Mio felt a pang in her chest. Yes, it was all too peaceful. They had all been carried away by the idea of celebrating when they should have been focusing on the state of things. The Uchiha clan was in constant war with neighboring clans and serving distant daimyos in their disputes, not to mention their continued attempts to reach the Sun Country for the sake of Yayoi's Motou clan coming up short. The Kuronuma clan did not have the time either. She and Takuto had dropped by the Fire Country on their way from a meeting with the daimyo of the Swamp Country where they had been propositioned. As the Swamp Country often became the stage for its warring neighbors it met with many consequences, provinces filled with bloodshed and destruction as well as a rising death toll for innocent people, and because they did not boast the protection of any powerful clans, they approached the Kuronuma clan for protection. They were only able to offer their land as payment since war had stolen its riches.

Takuto did not make a decision because he wanted to take it to the rest of the Council of Elders. Mio believed they would agree to it as the Swamp Country leaders only wanted their protection, but since they came to the Fire Country, what was supposed to have been a short visit turned into the ongoing preparations of a wedding. She imagined there would be an engagement at best and that she would be able to return to dealing with the Kuronuma clan's decision, but Sachiyo surprised them by asking for a quick marriage. Mio did not want to deny her. Neither did Madara.

Mio lowered her eyes to the grass beneath her feet. If it was too troubling, it would be best to wait. She did not want Madara to grow unhappy.

"But," Madara continued suddenly, interrupting Izuna before he had an opportunity to speak, "but Mio is happy. I have not seen her this happy in years."

Her heart seized with emotion. She pulled her hand to her mouth to keep the feeling from presenting itself in sound.

Izuna sighed. "You are hopeless, brother."

"And for you to be here having to put up with all of this," he went on. "To stand here as Yayoi and Takuto go on and on about the ceremony, as that Uzumaki and Sako make decorations, as Kana discusses the menu with our grandmother—and you, Izuna, you brought her a dressmaker."

"Kimono maker," Izuna corrected.

"You sat with her as she picked out her silk," Madara said, undeterred by the correction. "I try to imagine how I would have dealt with this had it been you she was marrying. I would not have been here as you have. I would not have been willing to make the sacrifice that you have."

The guilt reared in and Mio's widened eyes filled with tears. Betraying Izuna by coming together weighed heavily on them, despite receiving Izuna's blessing.

"Watching her with Koike, I admit I was envious knowing that if our roles had been reversed, Mio would not have been that happy," said Izuna. "She would have smiled and obediently married me. She would love me, but never to the extent that I love her. And she would be happy because I would be happy. Yes, I am jealous that she picked you, but I prefer it this way. Mio is the only woman that can stand you and you're the only one that can make her this happy. So, stop making excuses and stop looking so miserable before Mio starts to misunderstand."

"Misunderstand? Oh, yes, she might." Madara paused. "Thank you, Izuna. For being a better man."

"Ugh, of all people, you see it," Izuna said jokingly. "Let's go see that Mio has not drowned in her tears. You make her worry too much."

Mio wiped furiously at her tears when Izuna and Madara caught her. Izuna grinned at them and left them.

"Mio," Madara called softly.

"I worried this was too much," Mio whispered. "Forgive me. I dreaded you might not want to…"

She sobbed, moving forward to wrap her arms around him. She felt him embrace her and rest his chin atop her head as he expelled a sigh.

"Don't apologize, Mio."

She clutched at his back, overcome.

"We should go back now."

She nodded, releasing him and walking back to the house as the cold winds picked up.

"How do you feel about a home of our own?" asked Madara.

Mio startled, glancing at him. "A house?"

"We could have one built."

"Can we?" she asked, curious.

"We should have our privacy."

Mio nodded. "Yes, let's."

"I will talk with someone tomorrow."

Mio and Madara stepped into Sachiyo's home through the back entrance and walked up the stairs quietly. The hallways were dark and silent as they crossed to their room, though Mio paused in the adjacent room to peer inside and check on Yuuka and Noe, sleeping soundly as she left them.

Madara was changing out of his clothes and into a plain robe when she entered. He set the futon, two side by side, while she dressed in her own. She braided her hair down her back and went to join him after blowing out the candlelight that had filled the room with a soft glow. In the darkness, she settled under the thick blankets, sidling against Madara who offered his arm to rest her head and drew her body closer. He kissed her forehead and when she lifted her face, he found her lips, pressing his mouth to hers fully but briefly.

Every time she closed her eyes, she feared she would not wake tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Mio woke to the sound of Takuto's voice and it startled her to realize that she had slept deeply. She stared at him blankly and watched his face smooth with relief.<p>

"It happened?" she asked quietly.

"No, but I thought it would," Takuto admitted. "It's late afternoon. I told everyone that I saw you wake in the middle of the night and leave the house only to return hours later."

"Thank you," she said, rising onto a seat. She did not want anyone to worry or for this to become the reason she missed her ceremony. "Has anything happened?"

"We received word from Saori," Takuto said, smiling. "She will be here in a few days. She is looking forward to helping in whatever way she can."

Mio was elated with the news.

"You should probably have something to eat," he suggested.

She nodded.

Takuto left her to find Nako and Mio dressed quickly. She went to the kitchen and Kana, as if she knew, gave her a bowl of miso soup and white rice with grilled fish.

"It's strange to hear you overslept," Kana said, observing one of the new cooks dicing vegetables. "You aren't hiding anything, are you?"

"Strange?"

"Like an announcement," the cook replied, shrugging. "Yayoi has been telling everyone that you can't keep your hands off Madara."

Kana smiled with a wink.

"Is that what everyone is assuming?"

"You will be happy to know that the Kuronuma clan has called this slander on your good name," she said, grinning. "They are convinced you are as pure as the driven snow."

Mio quietly stuffed her mouth, which made the cook laugh.

"They love you quite a bit," said Kana, walking away from the cook she was instructing and approached Mio. "What am I saying? They love you a great deal and it is so evident. I am happy you found a suitable home with the Kuronuma."

Swallowing her food, she said, "Me too."

"I did not think I would see you marrying Madara, though," Kana admitted. "Of course, Sachiyo was determined, though she did have doubts at times. Particularly when there was a rumor floating around saying you were betrothed to one of the Senju."

"I was betrothed to Tobirama," Mio said. "My great-grandfather wanted me to marry a Senju, but my grandfather wanted me to do what I wanted with my life."

Kana clapped her hands and offered the cooks a short break. All of them left the kitchen to them.

"I am a little shocked you decided on Madara. What is it about him?"

Mio stared at her blankly. She took a gulp of tea to ease the sudden dryness of her throat. "I like him."

"Yes, that is quite obvious, Mio."

"I admire him," she said softly. "He is beautiful in war." She lifted her eyes to the cook and she recalled the first time she kissed his lips to taste the blood and alcohol on his after he decapitated Motou Enki. "He brings me such peace. He makes it impossible for me to feel anything for another. He made me feel something. I did not think myself capable of this. I imagined my life completely different; marriage would be a contract because that is what it has always been. It is rare to see people like us marry someone they truly want. It is always what will bring more power. I believed Sachiyo would one day find a clan to marry me to, I felt the same with my great-grandfather later on. Madara is the first man I have ever wanted."

"Hmm." Kana was smiling. "So, have you thought about the wedding night?"

Mio ears went red as she nodded.

"Sachiyo has not told you, but she does plan to leave you both this house for a week and has barred anyone from approaching it until the week is done," Kana revealed. "She hopes you end up surprising her with great-grandchildren. She has gotten quite dramatic, hasn't she?"

Mio was starting to feel a little ashamed that she did not want to have children until she was certain she could protect them, and she had enough with Okimi's twins. She did not think Sachiyo would want great-grandchildren so quickly.

"You don't need to feel bad about it," Kana told her reassuringly. "You and Madara will likely be too busy to be in the same country at the same time and Sachiyo will understand that."

She nodded.

"I do hope that you finish whatever it is you have started, so that you can allow yourself to be happy."

Kana stood, excusing herself to find her cooks and put them to work. "Beware of Yayoi, she will no doubt pester you about your wedding night soon enough."

Mio expected it.

However, she did not expect it to come as quickly as it did. Yayoi had been searching for her everywhere until she found her with Takuto chasing Minako and the twins while Madara sat with Yukimura sleeping atop a bed of grass beside him.

Yayoi jumped her, knocking her onto the soft earth. Pulling herself up on her hands, the priestess stared down at her serious and with narrowed eyes. "We need to talk."

"About?"

Fully convinced Yayoi had tackled Mio to the ground as part of a game, Yuuka and Noe rushed her, knocking the priestess off her in a fit of laughter while Takuto shouted after them. It took Yayoi several minutes to recover from the blow and once she did, she dragged Mio upstairs to her room.

"We need to talk about the wedding night!" Yayoi stated.

"Why?"

Yayoi cried exasperatedly. "What do you mean why? Because it is important! You have never been with Madara before! This is completely new to you! I will tell you all about it!"

"Madara and I have been intimate before," Mio deadpanned.

"What?"

"We sleep together, Yayoi."

"In separate futon!"

"Sitting side by side."

Yayoi stared at Mio incredulously before shouting, "When? When did you find the time? You have been away from one another for three years! And you never stayed long here!"

"Were you not the one telling everyone that I could not keep my hands off Madara?" asked Mio.

"That was a bad joke!" the priestess retorted. "So, I want to know when?"

"That is not important."

"Yes it is, Mio! I want to know these things! That's what friends do! We talk about these things!"

Mio was thrilled with being acknowledged as the priestess's friend, not so much the subject, but Yayoi was quick to misunderstand.

"Tell me everything," Yayoi decided.

"What should I say?"

"What happened?"

"Did nobody ever tell you how it works?" Mio questioned, staring at her with an incredulous hint that made the priestess flush.

"I know where everything goes!" she cried. "I want to know about it!"

"We were intimate."

"Obviously, Mio! How did it happen? What was it like?"

"It just…happened."

"It _doesn't _just happen, Mio!"

"Madara was drinking—"

"You must be joking? He was drunk! That is the worst!" Yayoi cried. "Was he pushy?"

"He was not drunk. He was only drinking. We were talking and then it happened."

"Did he hurt you? Threaten you? I will kill him, Mio, I promise I will if he did! He should know better than act like an animal!"

When Yayoi made a move to jump to her feet, Mio seized her as her heart skipped a beat. "You are misunderstanding, Yayoi," she said quickly. "Madara was kind—"

"Stop!" Yayoi raised her hand. "I don't want to know! It's Madara! It would be too gross! I won't be able to look at him the same knowing he was drunk! The gall of that man."

Mio found it useless to try to correct Yayoi and allowed her to rant endlessly about Madara until she returned to her first subject. She wanted to offer her advice on intimate matters.

"What do you plan to do?" asked Yayoi.

Mio tilted her head quizzically. "About the wedding night?"

"Do you have something romantic planned? Like flower petals on the bedding? What about clothes? Do you have anything appealing? You could surprise him by wearing only a silk robe with nothing underneath! Just make sure it is short!"

She admitted to having a hard time following, so Yayoi started again and explained that wedding nights were supposed to be romantic.

"Do either one of you have the slightest idea what romance is?" she questioned. "Like does he buy you flowers—"

"I don't know how to take care of flowers."

Yayoi frowned. "What about you? Do you offer him massages after a difficult day? It is a wife's duty to take care of her husband and make sure he's comfortable."

Mio wondered how Yayoi would react knowing that romanticism to them involved morning runs through the surrounding forest, the occasional secret look, and time alone in silence where he was better known for working out the kinks in her shoulders. Yayoi would overreact, so she decided to stay quiet.

"You are going to have an entire week alone together, undisturbed. What do you plan to do with all that time?"

She had not thought about it and blinked as she processed the question. "What would you do in this situation?"

"Never leave the bed! I promise you that on the day I am married, my husband will be more smitten with me after our wedding night! We would have candles lit and flowers scattered throughout the house." Yayoi frowned. "But I have long ago come to terms that I will not be marrying, so I want to live vicariously through you while picturing an older, much handsomer man."

"Why? You are so close to meeting him."

"Who?"

"The man that will be your husband. You are going to meet him soon."

Yayoi's eyes widened. "What?"

"Do not throw away your dream of a romantic wedding night. You will meet your husband soon."

Mio stood, taking the opportunity to leave while the priestess stared off in awe, and quickly exited into the hallway where she breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was that about?"

She turned to see Madara as he stepped up the final stair.

"Yayoi wanted to talk."

"About?"

Walking past him, she said, "She wanted to talk of our wedding night."

"What?" he choked, pursuing her. "How is that any of her business?"

"I took care of it," she replied. "Have you heard of Sachiyo leaving us the house for a week?"

"She says undisturbed, but I don't believe Takuto or Yayoi are capable of understanding the meaning of privacy."

"She wanted to know if there would be flower petals all over the house, too."

"Who?"

"Yayoi."

"Why would there be flower petals anywhere? Is this another of her customs?" Madara's nose wrinkled at the idea. "Grandmother would have us scrub the house clean for the whole week for leaving a mess."

"She said it was romantic."

Madara peered at her curiously. "Do you want to do something in particular?"

Mio smiled, reaching to wrap her arms around his arm. "No, you alone will be fine."

She saw a slight coloring in his cheeks before he pulled her into the nearest room. The door slid shut behind him and leaned down with his hand pressing against her lower back to kiss her as she giggled.

"We have time for ourselves?" she asked, as his mouth moved to kiss down her chin and to her neck while his hands went to pull apart her obi.

"Yes," he said between kisses, "we have _some_ time."

She recognized the emotion burning in his eyes and his cold hands smoothing along the curve of her waist awakened it in her. She nodded, surprisingly short of breath as her body warmed, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

* * *

><p>"Dinner was served half an hour ago, where were you?" Kana demanded after Mio and Madara took their seats at the table.<p>

Noe sprang to sit in Mio's lap while Takuto helped Yuuka drink her soup. Yayoi sat glaring at Madara to the point he had to ask her what she was staring at, which incited an argument, all as Mio apologized to Kana on their behalf. She did not offer an excuse.

Sachiyo eyed Mio with a curious glint in her dark eyes before she smiled, turning away to continue eating her dinner. Minako picked a fight with Madara shortly after, demanding he tell her where Izuna ran off to, while Sako apologized.

"Izuna went to fetch the kimono maker again, didn't he?" Nako questioned.

"We have business in the Tea Country apart from the kimono maker," Madara corrected. "He should be back soon."

Minako frowned, unconvinced.

"I'm sure Izuna will bring you a souvenir," Mio added.

"Fine."

"As if she deserves a reward, she hasn't been able to hit a moving target," Madara scoffed.

"I can hit a moving target!"

"Are you that proud then?" he challenged. "Why don't we see then?"

Minako jumped to her feet. "Fine! Let's go!"

Sachiyo, with a quick comment, forced them to stay seated and finish their food before running out. Minako shoveled her lunch down, despite her mother's insistence to eat slowly.

Mio stayed behind with Sachiyo after everyone rushed out to watch Minako prove she could hit a moving target. Takuto took Noe from her arms and handed her to Yayoi before the two scampered out behind Nako.

"You are wearing Madara's kimono," Sachiyo pointed out, taking a deep drink of her tea. "He wears the Uchiha crest on his back. You do not."

Mio grabbed at the clothes to realize she mistook his dark clothing for her own.

"The pain of wearing men's clothing," the old woman said. "You must have been in quite a hurry if neither one of you noticed." She smiled despite her tone. "I do hope you and Madara can be happy as you are now. I hope war does not take him from you too early as it did my husband and wish that you both have many years ahead of yourselves to help your clans thrive."

"I hope for the same as well," Mio admitted.

Sachiyo put her hands on the table, struggling to push her body up onto her feet. "Help me to my feet, child."

Mio quickly obliged.

"As for Izuna," Sachiyo began. "I am a little worried about that one. Madara has said he has been a little more reckless in battle."

"If I can, I will speak to him when he returns."

"Not now, give things time to settle," she told her. "I know he will listen to you." The older woman pulled a piece of string from her sleeve with a hint of disdain. "Let us pray you are with child soon. I do not have eternity to waste waiting for one. Not like you Guardians."

"Sachiyo-sama…"

"Grandmother," she corrected. "I think I have had enough with you calling me Sachiyo-sama like I am only your superior. We are family and soon you will give me a great-grandchild." She paused. "It would be nice if that child takes after you entirely. Madara was a difficult child to raise. I would not wish that feat upon my worst enemy. As a newborn he wailed entire nights, sleep was out of the question, and when it came to his brothers, he used to torture them all. He was always fighting, that one. Never at peace. You, on the other hand, were a docile child."

She smiled softly at the thought, despite the only childhood memory that remained in her mind was that of Mikazuki Gouki taking her parents' lives.

"Your grandmother, Chiho, told me. She took care of you up until her death, you were only three when she passed so you might not remember her," Sachiyo revealed. "Well, she always wanted to bring you here because she thought you would benefit from being around other children, but I was terrified Madara would torture you. He would have. Nobody was safe. You do not know how wrong I wanted to be, especially in that strange coincidence in which you two met in the compound."

Sachiyo's face filled with nostalgia.

"Eijiro wanted to see you and Chiho brought you in your parents' stead, as they had been busy with their missions as you know all too well," she began, her smile illuminating her face. "You were such a small girl…and Madara was a brute—what am I saying? He is still a brute—and I figured why not introduce you as I was there with him and his other brother. The first thing he did was pick a fight with you. He pushed you and you fell on your back. You cried and he lied about shoving you even though we were all there to see him do it." The two shared a short laugh before she continued. "Well, as it turns out, I found Madara crying outside a few hours later with Chiho healing his scraped knee while you were playing with his brother. Chiho then tells me that you both were about to leave when you ran away to shove Madara, he fell right on his face. She apologized endlessly, saying you were never like this with other children."

She did not expect to learn she and Madara had fought as children, though it did not surprise her much since they fought later when she came into Sachiyo's care, constantly.

Sachiyo sighed, shaking her head with some amusement dancing in her eyes. "Have I told you about the time Madara stole Izuna from under his mother's nose and hid him with the pigs?"

"Please tell me all about it."

She stayed telling her the story from start to finish and transitioning to another of his childhood stories, each more amusing than the last, but she soon grew tired of standing and Mio encouraged her to go, feeling a little strange herself.

Mio watched Sachiyo exit through the side doors that lead onto the verandah and noticed her vision start to blur before vertigo struck, making her sink onto her knees. Her heart rate quickened and her breathing shortened. She clasped at the black cord that held her Time Sphere. There was a pressure inside her, crushing her bones and radiating pain through her. She bit down hard to stay silent, knowing it would only last a moment before it passed.

When it did, Mio rose to her feet, tucking her hair behind her ears, and walked to the kitchen for water.

Kana put her hand on her forehead. "You're a little warmer than normal."

"I'm going to lie down for a bit," she said.

"Okay, rest up."

Mio went upstairs to bed. She raised her hands to remove her artifact, but dropped them. She sank into the futon and fell asleep quickly despite not intending to do so.

She woke an hour later to her amazement. She found a damp cloth folded over her forehead and Takuto sitting at her side checking her pulse.

"I know you haven't been using any Kuronuma Jutsu lately, so this is a little odd," Takuto said, setting her wrist over the blanket. "You just had an imbalance. I brewed a concoction. Ready to drink it?"

"Yes."

"Come, sit up."

Takuto helped her sit and handed her a bowl full of a special brew made of black water and aromatic spices. The taste was terrible—gag worthy terrible. The Kuronuma clan drank black water from the natural spring when they completed their four-step training regimen from children to adulthood. It helped the black water sink into their bloodstream where it remained and then they would learn to reproduce it with chakra to use Kuronuma Jutsu via blood. Drinking it was only done once in a Kuronuma's lifetime and it was always post-training because that made it stick.

Due to special circumstances, Mio drank the black water before completing her training, which resulted in the need to ingest it when her body ran low, as she was only capable of reproducing it with chakra it so many times before she exceeded the limit and needed to reset. She experienced symptoms because of it, most of it fever and constant vertigo with the inability to function outside of her most basic needs.

Mio tilted the bowl when it was at her lips and drank deeply, the thick liquid seared down her esophagus and warmed her stomach. She swallowed it all and scrunched up her nose in disgust. The aftertaste was the worst.

"That should do," he said, taking the bowl from her. "We'll keep this up until the fever breaks. How have you been sleeping lately?"

"Well enough."

"You overslept today."

"Yes."

"It's starting again. Maybe this was an indicator." Takuto pulled up his pack and took the bowl into his hands. "I'll keep looking into it. Just stay in bed. I'll come back to check up on you later."

"Thank you, Takuto."

"Someone has to take care of you." He rose to his feet. "Wait for me here."

"Where are Yuuka and Noe?" asked Mio.

"Downstairs with Sako. I'll send them up if you want, they keep asking for you."

She nodded, and waited in silence for Takuto to return after he left. She wanted this to be over quickly as she held her head in her hands.

* * *

><p>Mio slept deeply for several days at a time. Waking and seeming in perfect health, she acted normal. She took walks along the Uchiha territory, played games with the white-haired twins she was a mother to, sat with his grandmother for tea and quiet conversation, and observed the preparations for their upcoming wedding with silent admiration.<p>

There were no symptoms to show she was ill, nor was there confirmation that what she carried was weakness within her body. But something was wrong. It had nothing to do with her black water shortage. Takuto assured it.

Madara pressed his hand to Mio's warm face, brushing his palm across her soft, pale cheek as he guided his fingers to tuck her black hair behind her ear. He lifted the blankets over her shoulder, though he suspected the cold winds banging against the house did not faze her. Her body temperature ran higher than a normal person's did because of the training she received as a Kuronuma. They thrived in cold weather and had for many generations lived in Mt. Hyōga until their home had been irreparably destroyed.

He put out the light and exited into the adjacent room where Yayoi and Takuto sat around the square table. He sealed the door shut behind him and joined them, folding his arms across his chest.

Yayoi hauled the Fate Sphere onto the table's surface while glaring at Takuto. "Have you not been taking care of her?" she admonished, peeling apart the scroll. "Honestly, Takuto, you had one job!"

"Lower your voice," Madara ordered.

"He had one job, Madara," Yayoi pressed, lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. "If you planned to ruin everything this badly, you should have brought her here years ago. We would have done a better job watching her."

Madara admitted Yayoi was being unfairly harsh. He believed Takuto had done his best by observing how hard the Kuronuma worked to keep Mio comfortable in her current state.

Takuto lowered his gaze, his expression filled with guilt. "She is not ill."

"Are you certain? Because she seems ill," Yayoi told him. "All she does is sleep. Sleeping does not help her get the nutrients her body needs. If this continues—"

"This is not a recent development," Takuto interrupted, surprising the priestess. He spoke, despite his evident reluctance. "This started—it started after the Artifact War. It manifested slowly. She started to sleep an extra hour each day, failing to wake in the morning—and you know she is impeccable at this, so I found it odd, but I dismissed it. I saw her condition after the war…I healed her completely, so I imagined her body needed more rest to continue mending. However, after a time, she started taking naps, twenty minutes daily. It was normal. She was exhausted. She has been working nonstop. And, well, it eventually became what it is now. The longest she's ever slept has been five days, but it happens abruptly. There aren't symptoms. There isn't a way to know when she will sleep long. She has been fine for quite some time actually to the point that she's continued running at sunrise."

"But this is impossible," Yayoi said, unraveling her scroll. "The Artifact War was the link between her weakness and her fate. It should have been a transitional phase in her life in which she comes into power."

"Yes, but you have to understand that while she did everything that she was meant to do, she did it when she was not ready," said Takuto. "She ingested the black water without completing her training. She strengthened the artifacts when she did not possess the power to do so without giving up more than she could offer. The wounds she suffered inside the Universe Sphere. Everything took a toll on her body."

"That is the reason you were called here," Madara said, finding her condition odd. Knowing Mio had suffered her entire life because the priestess Motou Ayuka had been determined to see that she be too weak to interfere with her plans, it had been strange to see Mio this way. She had overcome her biggest adversary and had protected the artifacts from falling into the wrong hands. She had a new goal she pursued now. "Mio made you Guardian of the Fate Sphere, now make use of it. There has to be an explanation."

"Mio does not like me prying into her life," Yayoi said, adverse to the notion. "I do not need her angry with me."

"You will tell her that you had no choice in the matter," Madara stated. "Now start looking."

Grumbling, the priestess smoothed out the wrinkled surface of the blank scroll. The Fate Sphere, one of the eight remaining Kuronuma artifacts, allowed its user to peer into the many pathways in a person's life. In the past three years, Yayoi had been abusing its power to predict romances for women, though she had excused her actions as being a means to practice.

"Mio shut me out of reading her pathways," Yayoi told them, stalling. "Her future to my eyes is as blank as this scroll."

"Should you not mention this from the start?" Takuto asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"You have the means to go around it," Madara stated, "Now, how much of my blood do you need to find her pathways?"

Yayoi rolled her eyes, extending her hand. "Just give me your stupid hand and something to cut it with."

Madara handed her a kunai and offered his hand. She took it and stabbed him in the palm, hard enough to make him clench his jaw. She turned his hand over as the blood started to spill and guided it to the scroll.

Yayoi pressed her free hand to the surface, feeding it chakra to activate it.

The scroll absorbed the blood pooling beneath his palm and begun to glow white. The light condensed under her command, becoming long thin strands that spread from the center, where his skin made contact, upward, branching out into several lines until Mio's pathways revealed themselves, resembling a tree.

The priestess peered into the pathways, her eyebrows drawing in confusion.

"What is it?" Takuto asked immediately.

"This does not make any sense," Yayoi said, voice painfully low. "I saw her pathways before and they…there should be more than this."

"What are you saying?" asked Madara, about to move his hand when the priestess tightened her hold on it. "What about before? When we went to you about the wedding date? You were able to see well."

"That was different. Mio showed me what I was looking for and only that. This is different."

"What is it then?"

"Something happened," she said. "Something changed the course of her pathways…rearranged them." She peeled back Madara's fingers before removing his entire hand from the surface of her sphere. Her hazel eyes brightened in realization. "Yes, look." She gestured to the many lines branching out and followed it with her finger to the center of the scroll where they all met. Madara's hand had been covering it. "The pathways are upside down and this would be the future, signifying the end of her pathways."

"Impossible," Takuto said, his shock genuine. "Pathways do not end unless—"

"Unless what?" Madara snapped.

The door slid open behind him and everyone stilled, the room growing colder than the windy hell outside. Mio did not need to make her presence known, it simply was, present and expanding.

Yayoi quietly began to roll the scroll closed when Mio appeared to slam her hand atop its surface, making everyone flinch to some degree.

"We have had this talk before, Yayoi," Mio said slowly. "You have been given free will of the Fate Sphere in exchange for my privacy. Do not make me blind you to everyone connected to my bloodline. You will find it rather difficult to continue reading love fortunes for all the women in the neighboring villages if I do."

The priestess swallowed hard, raising her hands up in resignation, but then Takuto opened his mouth.

"Just how many people are connected to you?" he asked, curious.

Mio faced him with a glare. "Everyone."

Takuto bowed his head in apology. "Forgive my insolence."

She rounded on him. "And you?"

Madara turned away, avoiding her wrath. "Yayoi insisted."

Yayoi made an audible sound in protest, but met with immediate silence when Mio shot her a deadly glare.

"I am taking the Fate Sphere," Mio stated, closing the giant scroll and pulling it into her arms to the priestess's dismay. "You will have it back when I know you cannot pry into my pathways again."

As abruptly as she arrived, she left. A lengthy pause followed her departure as they listened and waited for her footsteps to descend the staircase, unconsciously dreading the possibility her hearing ability was better than they assumed.

"If anyone did the insisting it was you two," Yayoi snapped, glaring at the two men in front of her. She turned her attention fully to the Kuronuma. "You are terrified of her. And you"—zeroing in on Madara—"ugh, what am I thinking? You are as terrified of her as this one is. You have to stay in her good graces if you want to have a room to sleep in."

"I can sleep in any room I want!" Madara retorted.

"You know your grandmother will side with Mio! You'll be kicked out of Uchiha territory if she so desires it and you'd rather avoid that!" Yayoi accused, childishly sticking her tongue out at him.

Madara ignored her, knowing it offended her more than any he could ever think to say.

"Do you think this is the aftermath of the Artifact War?" Takuto asked, changing the subject. "Or is this because she did everything too early? Because Ayuka rushed her?"

"No—I don't know." Yayoi frowned. "When Mio came to the Fire Country after, she only came to ask me that I don't look into her pathways. So, I tried to look because she told me not to, and well, everything was normal. As normal as one would expect. Something changed."

"Something changed or someone changed it?" asked Madara suspiciously.

"But who could be altering her pathways?" Takuto questioned. "Ayuka was the only one capable of doing it and she's been dead for three years. And she would not have been able to in the condition she was left. Especially without the Fate Sphere to guide her."

"So what does it mean when all pathways lead to a single road?" asked Madara, remembering the way her pathways had twisted and combined into one atop the Fate Sphere.

The priestess faced him, expression full of regret. "It means death."

Madara went searching for Mio at Yayoi's insistence after their conversation ended. The priestess believed he was capable of convincing Mio to return the Fate Sphere before her appointment that evening. He did not intend to oblige her, as it was Mio's artifact to do with what she wanted, but he did not want Mio angry.

He ventured outside and walked along the verandah that wrapped around the back portion of his grandmother's home. He found Mio seated on the porch with his brother lying beside her, his head resting on her lap, and the Fate Scroll sitting on the other side of her.

Izuna had gone to finish his business in the Tea Country and to bring the kimono maker to do the fitting for Mio's ceremonial robes.

"I did not expect you back so soon, Izuna," Madara said, announcing his presence.

Izuna lifted his head to have a look at him. "I returned a few minutes ago and wanted to see Mio because Sako mentioned she's been sick." His brother smiled up at Mio, who mirrored the gesture in appreciation. "I was asking if the weather had gotten colder."

Madara came to a halt by Izuna's legs. "You only need time to adjust after spending so much time in the Tea Country."

His brother settled back comfortably on Mio's lap. "That doesn't matter. Mio is plenty warm. I can barely feel the cold anymore." His dark eyes found Mio's face, staring deeply into it. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I feel fine," Mio answered, avoiding the subject of her health as persistently as she did the one of her future.

Madara walked around her and took a seat beside her, the heat radiating from her skin kept him from realizing the cold, autumn winds.

"Has Arata returned?" asked Izuna.

"He returned this morning," Madara answered. "We have plenty to discuss tonight."

"I invited the kimono maker and his apprentice to the reception and asked them to stay with us as we have many rooms available," Izuna confessed.

Madara knew his brother had become acquainted with the kimono maker's apprentice while trying to convince one of the Tea Country's lesser lords into remaining loyal to their clan after hearing he wanted to side with another. He wished he had asked about it.

"That is perfectly fine," Mio responded.

"Has Saori arrived?" asked Izuna. "I realized I wanted to see her on the way."

"No, she was delayed," Madara answered. "She should be arriving within the week."

"I'm making her clean after the reception," Izuna decided. "She promised to help—wah, ow, Mio!"

Mio bolted out of her seat, his brother's head dropping onto the floor with a loud thump, and she sprang forward towards the surrounding forest, her. Madara stood as his brother sat up, rubbing his head, and watched as a woman with short, chestnut colored hair emerged from between the rustling trees.

Mio ran straight to Ito Saori and embraced her. The two were moving about excitedly in each other's arms before pulling apart to look at one another.

Madara understood that Mio's relationship with Saori developed into a special one. Saori was the kind older sister she never had and Mio was there to help Saori overcome the loss of her younger sister. Saori was another of her Guardians, she held the Life Sphere, which was sealed inside a black gem. The Life Sphere was the reason Mio was able to sense the other spheres no matter how far they were.

Izuna quickly joined them, going up to Saori and hugging her. He gestured at Mio and pointed at his head, telling her about how she dropped him. Mio laughed and it made such a difference in her countenance that Madara wished he could see her laughing more often.

Saori came to Madara to congratulate him with a cheerful smile and he welcomed her to enjoy herself. Izuna stalked off to the other end of the verandah to speak to the young woman with white hair that fell an inch above her shoulders stood dressed in a navy kimono, looking as though she had been observing them in silence for a time. She shyly glimpsed in their direction and bowed respectfully, disappearing into the hallway.

Izuna pointed into the house and returned to Mio. "Koike is ready to do your fitting whenever you're ready."

Mio looked to Saori, who smiled.

"Want me to go with you?" asked Saori. "I would love to see your robes."

Mio nodded, picking up the Fate Sphere and putting it in Madara's arms. "You can give this back to Yayoi, ask her to stop snooping before I make you Guardian of this sphere."

He wondered if she was trying to punish him as well as he watched her go. Madara returned the Fate Sphere to Yayoi, who thanked him profusely with a bone-crushing hug.

"How did you manage this? What did you do? Did you promise her gifts? Are you going to buy her something? Madara, I know just the place! They sell beautiful necklaces with huge gems, and it's expensive, but she is going to love it!"

"Mio doesn't like wearing jewelry," Madara told the priestess.

"Every woman loves wearing jewelry, right?" Yayoi asked, looking to Takuto.

"Why are you looking at me?" Takuto snapped.

"You have a woman, don't you? She likes to wear jewelry, doesn't she?"

"I don't have a woman!" Takuto sputtered.

"Stop lying to me! I know you have a woman! Taiki is telling everyone you do!" Yayoi made an exasperated sound as the Kuronuma grumbled and she rounded on Madara. "Buy her something pretty!"

Madara walked away from her. He had better things to do like listen to what Arata had uncovered during his travels, than indulge Yayoi.

He found Izuna after little searching and asked him to accompany him to the compound where Arata would be waiting with Jouji. Arata and Jouji were waiting inside a small room upstairs; both greeted them with respectful bows as they took their seats.

"What did you find?" asked Madara.

"I found a lord in the Lightning Country that manages trade between islands off the coast and established contact knowing that he has been dealing with the presence of a group of shinobi that has been inconveniencing him for the past few months," Arata began, the youth was dark haired with sharp cheekbones and hooded eyes. Jouji had taught him everything he knew in the past three years before retiring. "The lord refused our help, despite my offering the Uchiha clan's protection."

"And you felt he would be willing to take us to the Sun Country?"

"Without a doubt, Madara-sama. Word has it that the Sun Country is receiving provisions from some lord in the Lightning Country and after a thorough investigation, I am certain that he is the one responsible," Arata answered.

"What do you know about him?" asked Izuna.

"He is a known pervert," Arata deadpanned.

"Something we can work with," Jouji rephrased.

Madara and Izuna exchanged glances.

"What kind of pervert?" Izuna inquired, leaning into the table with bright eyes.

"He has a weakness for young, beautiful women," Arata began. "He frequently takes women from a teahouse in the Lightning Country called The Thousand Cranes and keeps them in his castle until he grows bored with them. He has a complete disregard for authority and enjoys a challenge. He particularly likes conquests. I know that he took another lord's wife as a lover because she was said to be completely faithful to her husband and because he hated her husband."

"Does this man hate the Uchiha clan?" asked Izuna, curious.

"With a passion," Arata replied.

"I know this man. He is the lord of a coastal province, Eishirou," Izuna said to Madara. "I tried to kill him once. If he hates the Uchiha clan it is because of me."

"Working with the Uchiha clan is out of the question," Jouji stated. "We should look elsewhere, perhaps the Water Country."

"Would you say he hates you enough to disregard your claim on a woman from the teahouse?" Madara proposed, staring at his brother. Finding a route through the Water Country would be more difficult than coercing the Lord Eishirou to offer them safe passage on his ships. He preferred the latter, as he wanted to avoid encountering any shinobi clans from the Water Country if it were possible.

"In a heartbeat," Izuna said. "Are you saying we should bait him?"

Madara nodded. "Yes, and coerce him into lending us his ships. We can seize his castle."

"Yes, but where are we going to find a young, beautiful woman to tempt Eishirou?" asked Arata. "Sure, we can ask one of our spies, but she's probably not his type. And we can't keep presenting him with new women until we find one that is."

"We can use Yayoi, it is her country and her clan we are trying to help, she could do something," Izuna suggested.

"The priestess cannot attract an older man to save her life, we would be damned," Jouji responded.

"We have Mio."

Jouji and Izuna looked to Madara shocked that he would even suggest it, but if he trusted anyone with a potential infiltration mission it would be Mio. That and she had a penchant for attracting old perverts, sad to admit it, but it was the truth.

"You mean your betrothed, Mio?" asked Arata.

"Yes." Madara stood. "You should meet her. She could be very useful to you."

Jouji nodded. "She's a smart one."

Arata looked at Madara. "Can I meet her now?"

Izuna shrugged when his brother looked at him. "Well, it's not like she's doing anything."

Madara arched an eyebrow.

"Well, nothing that important."

"Come on," Madara said, gesturing for Arata to follow.

Madara took Arata back to his grandmother's house with Jouji and Izuna following close behind whispering about his suggestion, wondering if he would bring it up again. He heard Izuna call him crazy for even saying it.

Mio was in a spacious room on the first floor accompanied by Saori as the kimono maker, a stout older man, and his apprentice, the girl in blue, helped her out of a white kimono.

Mio noticed him, but made no move to approach him as she held her hair over her head.

"I have someone I want you to meet," Madara informed, holding her attention. "This is Arata, he is Jouji's student. I told you about him before."

"He has been looking for a way into the Lightning Country, yes," Mio said, turning to Arata. "Nice to meet you."

"I grew up with stories about your parents, Mio-sama," Arata spilled. "I heard they were the best at what they did!"

"You do me an honor remembering them for their accomplishments, thank you." Mio managed to leave the youth blushing with a smile and she looked at Madara. "So, have you found a way to reach the Lightning Country?"

"To an extent," Madara said, clapping Arata's shoulder. "Thanks to the information he's brought back, we might be able to leave to the Sun Country as soon as we are married."

"You should tell Yayoi, she will be happy to hear it."

Madara nodded. He excused himself and the others, ushering them out into the hallway.

"She will not be happy with this assignment."

"It is not something she isn't accustomed to," Madara replied. "She had enough experience with Enki."

"Yes, and then what happened?" Izuna asked.

"I killed him."

"Yes, you did, you killed him," his brother said pointedly. "You killed him because you did not like the way he was looking at Mio. That's why you did it."

"There were other reasons," Madara said in protest. "He was a despicable man."

"We don't need to kill any lords," Izuna said warningly, glimpsing at the young spy, who was too busy staring at Mio through the aperture between the shoji to pay attention. "You know how badly that upsets the daimyos. We are better off having someone else for the job."

"Who?" Jouji asked, noting Arata's dreamy stare.

Izuna pinched Arata's cheek, eliciting a complaint. "Enough gawking! That is the future mistress of your clan."

"I saw you staring at her too!" Arata argued.

"Yes, but she's going to be my wife when Madara is dead, I have special privileges," Izuna retorted.

Madara glared at his brother. "Who is dying?"

"It is a precaution," Izuna reasoned. "If something terrible happened to you and you died, I promise I'll be around to comfort Mio."

"Just stay away from her."

"If Mio is willing, then we can make this work," Jouji said, snapping his fingers to return the attention to the pressing matter. "We have her infiltrate the teahouse several weeks ahead of making our move against Eishirou, using the time to have her become Izuna's favorite. We make this known for when Eishirou visits and hope that her beauty and his hatred for Izuna is enough appeal to have her taken into his castle."

"And while Mio distracts Eishirou, we can seize control of his castle," Madara added.

"Mio is going to hate us for this," Izuna commented.

"Can you think of anyone that can guarantee us success other than Mio?" Madara challenged.

"Then it's settled," Jouji said decisively.

The problem with the decision would be asking if she would be willing to go along with it.

"So, when do we tell her?" Izuna questioned.

"After the wedding," came everyone's response.

"Good idea," Izuna said with a nod. "We should go think of a back-up meanwhile."

* * *

><p><strong>xl<strong>: Mio is going to be asking for a divorce as soon as that comes up in conversation. I joke.

Wedding is next chapter! It'll be exciting! It will also get us into the groove of things.

There will be a preview for chapter three posted on my livejournal by the time you finish reading this, so go off an read it! Have a glimpse into the future.

Thank you to everyone that added this series to their favorite/alert lists! I appreciate the following. I also hope you continue to enjoy the ride! Many, many thanks to these wonderful people for reviewing, I appreciate the feedback: **Guest**, **Melissa Fairy**, and **Loteva**.

REVIEW RESPONSE(S):

**Guest**: Mio is currently not pregnant. :) If she were, she'd more likely be an emotional mess.

- Thank you for reading!

Next update will be on **DEC** **31st**, just before the new year. See you then!

And omfg, I forgot to wish you all some Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a wonderful time! I sure as hell am enjoying not doing anything now that I'm on winter break. :)


	4. The Ceremony

Chapter **03** | The Ceremony

* * *

><p>The situation was better described as a discussion, but Izuna called it an argument when he called Madara over from the hallway. He said, "Madara, help me settle this argument with Mio," despite it not being confrontational. Mio attempted to correct him several times because the wording could easily be misunderstood, but Izuna purposely interrupted her until his brother joined them inside the room.<p>

"It's odd to find you two arguing," Madara said with an expression to match.

"It isn't an argument," Mio clarified for the umpteenth time. She and Izuna weren't the type that argued. "It's a discussion."

"Look, we were talking about the Climate Sphere," Izuna said, breezing past her obvious concern. "You see, we have a backyard full of Kuronuma terrified of the winds and allergic to the sun—"

"They are not allergic to the sun—"

"Mio, it was hot for like one second yesterday and about fifty Kuronuma succumbed to heat stroke," Izuna interrupted. "You looked about ready to melt into the ground. You saw her, didn't you, brother?"

"You spent hours sitting in iced water with Takuto," Madara added with a nod. "So, how did the Climate Sphere come up?"

"I was remembering Mt. Hyōga last night and all the stories I heard around the Kuronuma about how they lived in this perfectly icy wonderland undisturbed," Izuna started. "It got me thinking about your upcoming wedding and all the anxiety going on between you that someone is going to be stupid enough to attack. I cannot stand telling either one of you how stupid that sounds. We have a backyard full of Kuronuma! We have a whole backyard full of Kuronuma willing to set aside their pacifism in the case of an unlikely attack. There will be more shinobi at this wedding reception than non-shinobi. You are going to be there, I'm going to be there, Mio is going to be there. Saori, Takuto, even Nako is going to be there. Only someone with an obvious death wish would try to attack."

"We cannot say there isn't anyone stupid enough to avoid attacking us on that day," Madara said reasonably, despite Izuna's aversion to the response after his rant. "I do agree, however, that if it were to occur, we would be perfectly capable of fending for ourselves."

"And yet, Mio remains paranoid, despite Yayoi having forecasted a good day for weddings," Izuna said pointedly.

Mio remained silent because she was feeling a bit paranoid. It might have had everything to do with the wedding being in a few days and she was making excuses to see it postponed. She wasn't afraid of marrying Madara. She wanted to. She didn't expect it happen this quickly, though, but she didn't have any complaints in formally beginning their lives together. The rushed ceremony had many people anticipating an announcement shortly after, but it would be one they wouldn't be receiving as pregnancy had nothing to do with the quick wedding. Sachiyo had simply waited long to see it happen, far before Madara and Mio ever thought it possible, and as her health steadily deteriorated, she wanted to see them married.

"And how did the Climate Sphere come into the conversation again?" Madara asked, drawing Mio's attention from her thoughts.

"The Kuronuma clan used the Climate Sphere to protect themselves up in their mountain," Izuna replied, "And I figured that we should make use of it. It might help kill Mio's paranoia. She's very difficult to work with in this state. She doesn't sit still."

In that same moment, Mio realized she was pulling apart the threads at the bottom of her sleeve and stopped. She stared at the brothers, seemingly innocent.

"Do you see that?" Izuna demanded, pointing at her. "The kimono maker has to refit her robes this afternoon and she's got to stand still, else he won't fit them properly."

"I will stand still!" Mio argued. "I promised not to waste his time, didn't I?"

"If activating the Climate Sphere will bring you some form of peace, you should do it," Madara told her.

"That's the problem," Izuna cut in, silencing her before she had a chance to protest the idea, "She doesn't want to activate it. She says it's an abuse of power."

Madara looked upon her for an explanation.

"It is clearly an abuse of power," Mio said. "The Kuronuma clan activated the Climate Sphere because they wanted to protect the secret of Kiyohime's Artifacts by secluding themselves. This is a wedding. It wouldn't be for any particular benefit apart from alleviating some of my paranoia. Despite that, the protection can easily be dispelled. I don't know my way around the sphere, not like my great-grandfather, who managed to create other traps within it, so I can't even guarantee we'll be all around safe."

"I argued that she would be protecting everyone from the threat of attack if that threat existed, thus not being an abuse of power, rather a precaution."

Madara stayed quite for some time, forming an opinion on the matter. "I agree with Izuna, it would be more of a precaution," he said. "You should consider activating it."

"But it wouldn't be fair to everyone unaccustomed to cold weather," she expressed. "The strongest season in the artifact is winter and it is the only one that would provide us with a good defense, but it is also the harshest."

"We can just warn everyone," Izuna said. "We can give them time to accommodate before you activate it."

"Are things settled then?" Madara asked. "Activate the Climate Sphere as soon as you inform everyone within its range."

Mio nodded.

She felt a little reluctant about activating the Climate Sphere because she didn't know how to use it as well as she'd like. She'd been practicing with the Vision Sphere, a peculiar artifact that used guilt as a weapon to trap people inside its jagged blade, and had given little time to the Climate Sphere, a round, frosty orb that was said to be the eye of a dragon.

"Just about," Izuna answered, rising from his seat. "I'm going to start warning everyone." He glimpsed at Mio. "Are you coming, Mio?"

Madara excused himself shortly after the discussion had been settled.

It took two days to prepare everyone for a drastic drop in temperature, but once they had and some of the protestations had died down as well, Mio dug a hole in the middle of the Uchiha clan's territory to bury the glowing orb after activating it. The snowstorm emerged from the center like a geyser of ice bursting through a crack, shooting straight into the sky inviting dark clouds, and spread throughout the perimeter of the clan's vast territory, engulfing their village and the surrounding greenery.

Snow fell upon the Uchiha's territory for the first two days, falling gracefully upon the grass and carried onto their verandahs by the gusts until there was a need to sweep it off. The third day brought a blizzard that shuddered through their homes, forcing everyone that once stared at the sight in wonder indoors to sit by a fire. The children were frightened, linking the rattling of the shoji to their scariest nightmare arriving to take them. Even Yayoi complained about the ruckus, but she especially threw a fit about the cold, which prompted her genius idea to find a Kuronuma to sleep next to. Nobody wanted to be Takuto in the moment Yayoi asked if she could room with him, sporting a beautiful smile while doing so.

Everyone knew Yayoi was a worse sleeper than Madara. While Mio had often woken up on to find herself kicked out of the futon, stripped of the blankets, smacked in the face (granted, it only happened once and Madara apologized, having woken immediately), or crushed underneath Madara's weight on several occasions, it was not nearly as bad as Yayoi's snoring. The beautiful priestess snored like an old dog with a bad cough. Her habit of doing so had gotten her a room downstairs on the other side of the house because it was so loud and kept everyone awake.

With the fourth day came the calm. Once the Climate Sphere had covered every inch of the Uchiha clan's territory with snow, Mio knew they were protected so long as no blood was spilled upon it. Violence was the weakness of the Climate Sphere.

Mio stood learning against one of the wooden posts in the verandah and stared out beyond the forest behind Sachiyo's home. Her heart remained unsettled.

* * *

><p>Mio experienced a nightmare that left her shaken. As she sat atop her futon, the blankets piled on her lap, it felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. She held the Time Sphere to her cheek, taking several deep breaths before the artifact's cool surface reminded her that it had been a dream. It had given her a little peace.<p>

Madara was lying asleep beside her with his arm draped across her lap, breathing softly. She moved out from underneath his arm as careful as possible and left the room, ambling through the house. She went from one room to the next, starting with the twins' bedroom, finding them perfectly safe and asleep. She slid apart Takuto's room, managing to wake him and Yayoi, both peered up at her from their futon, groggy.

"Is something wrong?" Takuto asked. "Do you have another fever?"

"Someone better be dying!" Yayoi complained. "The sun isn't even up!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Mio said quietly, starting to slide the room shut. "Go back to sleep."

She scrambled to Nako's room, then Saori's, continued to Sako's downstairs. She ran to Sachiyo's and Kana's bedrooms, receiving moody or confused glares along the way from everyone she woke, until she made it to Izuna's room. He sleepily turned over his futon, squinting at the door.

"Mio? What're you doing here?" he asked sleepily. "Did Madara kick you out? It's okay, you can sleep here."

"I'm sorry for waking you, go back to sleep," she said quietly, pulling on the shoji screen to slide it close.

"No! Wait!" Izuna sat up, kicking his covers off.

Mio stopped, watching him make his way to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to lead her down the hallway to the staircase. Izuna quietly returned her to her room. He pulled her covers back, shoving Madara out of the way, and waited for her to slip in before he squeezed in between her and his brother to her surprise.

It took her several minutes for her to realize he had been sleepwalking, especially when he had mistaken her for Madara and shoved her away, turning over to drape his arm over his brother. She tried calling out to them to wake them, but it didn't work. She chose to leave them and slept in Izuna's room, though she had not been able to sleep, not after waking from that nightmare.

Mio struggled to explain the situation to Kana, who had worriedly decided to check up on her and found Madara and Izuna holding one another, clearly mistaking each other for someone else. Unable to pass up the opportunity, Kana had woken them to laugh, which she had and attracted more attention to the situation, making it worse, particularly in her inability to explain what she had seen without laughing.

When word of Izuna accidentally slipping into Madara and Mio's room had reached Sachiyo, she had forbidden any mention of it as it was the day of the ceremony and she wanted nothing to ruin it, though that barely stopped anyone from bringing it up.

Mio paced anxiously, scratching at the reddening flesh of her arm. She had asked Yayoi to peer into the Fate Sphere to search for some form of justification for the dread that had assaulted her the instant she opened her eyes that morning. She had not been able to shake it.

"So, you are not secretly taking on another husband?" asked Yayoi jokingly, glimpsing at her from the giant scroll on the table. "Because I can change the ceremony and have Takuto find another Kuronuma Tree."

"That was an accident!"

"You could have woken them up, Mio," Yayoi said.

"But they've been working so hard, I didn't want to disturb them."

"Well, I have your compassion to thank. I've never laughed this hard before in my life." She laughed a little then, searching the glowing lines of Mio's branching pathways for an explanation to Mio's dread. Once she finished looking, she lifted her eyes to Mio. "There's nothing here that could present any issue. Maybe you're just really nervous."

"I am nervous."

Yayoi stood. "I'm going to ask Kana to make you some passionflower tea. It should help relax you." Scrunching up her nose at her, she added, "You definitely need relaxation."

Once the priestess left, Mio sank to her knees in front of the Fate Sphere and saw through her bloodline for an accurate reading, but found that the day would go smoothly. However, she remained unconvinced.

Mio drank two cups of passionflower tea before it relaxed her enough to start dressing into her bridal robes with Saori's help. Yayoi and Takuto were in the wide hall inside Sachiyo's house dealing with last minute preparations. Mio had seen the room after it had been decorated to resemble the interior of a temple. It had an altar for a small golden statue of the Horned God of Unity. The first known practitioner of the Motou religion had been Kiyohime. She had created ten artifacts where each sphere represented one god of which there were ten main gods (and several lesser ones). In terms of artifact, The Horned One was represented by the Life Sphere, which Saori held.

The statue had been surrounded by blood red flowers dotted with white chrysanthemums. There had been candles burning, all strategically placed, and it had smelled of incense—a light intoxicating scent that had made her feel at peace. Yayoi claimed that had been the point of the incense, so Mio had congratulated her on accomplishing it, which had earned her a disapproving frown.

Mio wondered if she had sounded sarcastic while she remembered the conversation, Saori tucking one side of the robe over the other and smoothing out the creases. Saori reached around to tie a thin sash to keep her underclothing in place before walking back to the remaining layers of her outfit. Mio vividly recalled the atmospheric room with intrigue, filled with the pale, orange spheres of dancing flames that cast shadows along the walls, heavily scented with flowers and black cherry incense. The Kuronuma Tree had sat at the center of the altar, standing proudly with its thin limbs extending up to the ceiling as if in praise.

Saori hoisted the silk, white robes over Mio's back and beckoned Yayoi to help. Yayoi folded the robes one side over the next, pulling at the collar to make sure it remained straight and without a crease, while Saori began tying her obi, tugging hard to tighten it around her waist.

"How nervous are you?" asked Yayoi, looking Mio in the eyes.

"How is Madara?" Mio blurted, her heart hammering in her ribcage. She ran her hand down along her sleeve, enchanted by the beauty of the pattern, faint against the beautiful white silk.

"Madara is not important at this moment!"

"There is no need to shout, Yayoi," said Saori, peering up at Mio with a calming smile. "Mio is only asking for him because he calms her."

"I can go see him if it would make you feel better," Yayoi said. "Yes?"

Mio nodded. "But I want to see him."

"Not until your hair has been fixed," Saori stated. "Fetch Nako for me on your way."

Yayoi nodded, running out of the room, shouting, "I'll call her first!"

"You are a little tense," Saori said, patting the obi. "There we go, we're done."

"Yes," she admitted. "The tea helped, but I can't stop myself from thinking."

"You think something will happen?" asked Saori. "Something grave?"

"Yayoi has not seen anything in the Fate Sphere, this day is a good day," Mio divulged, wishing she could believe that everything would be fine, "but I have an ache in my bones and I—"

Saori covered Mio's hands with her own and smiled sadly. "Like one of your Guardians is in danger?"

"I can't leave to make sure Hashirama and Tobirama are well," she said worriedly. "I haven't heard from them in several weeks, anything could have happened, and they're my responsibility, too. I made them Guardians and if any one of my Guardians is in danger, it's my fault because I chose them."

"I can go in your place," Saori replied, squeezing her hands in reassurance. "It isn't far from here and I am well enough acquainted with Hashirama that my presence before him won't be viewed as a threat despite the Ito clan's alliance with the Uchiha clan."

"But the ceremony?"

"After the ceremony," Saori proposed. "I will go then. It will be a secret between the two of us."

Mio embraced Saori and thanked her beneath her breath when Nako entered. "I'm here for your hair, Mio!" she announced joyfully, pulling up a box. "I've brought all your hair accessories." The redhead dropped her eyes to the wooden box in her hands. "I actually didn't expect you to have so many."

Saori moved out of the way to observe as Mio sat, allowing Nako to stand behind her. She brushed the knots from her hair, smoothing it out to sit in shallow, glossy waves before she started to style it into an up-do. Once Nako had tucked the loose strands from her way, pulling them back and clipping them down, she put two silver kanzashi into her hair, one that cascaded with interconnected links that shimmered under the light and another in the shape of a flower.

Yayoi poked her head inside the room, pausing a moment as her eyes fell on Mio. "Oh, Mio, you look beautiful!" she said, then stuck her thumb out at Nako in approval. "Good going, Nako! You style hair like a beast with a vengeance!"

Nako proudly mirrored the gesture, huffing. "Of course, my lady priestess!"

"Well, did you get Madara or not?" Saori asked, startling Yayoi.

"Oh yes, he's outside." Yayoi pushed the door open to reveal Madara, who stood dressed in black, traditional robes. The priestess gestured him in. "Come in, Madara-sama."

Madara rolled his eyes as he entered, his gaze fixed on Mio's face as she rose from her seat.

"We'll give you some privacy," Saori said, pushing Yayoi out of the room, despite the reluctant protest, and grabbed a hold of Nako, steering her outside with her. Saori shut the doors tight behind her.

"Yayoi is worried you might scratch your skin off," Madara said, crossing the short distance between them to stand in front of her. "Are still worried about something going wrong?"

"Always." Mio found herself a little distracted by the fact that Madara's hair had been cut and tamed, as much as possible. It fell past his shoulders, but only slightly. He noticed the attention in her eyes.

"Grandmother's work," he told her. "She went after Izuna as well, cut his whole ponytail off. She wanted us to look presentable for once."

She laughed, surprising herself after having spent the greater portion of the morning dreading the unknown. His hands came up to rest on her cheeks, lifting her face upward. She panicked, grabbing hold of his hands knowing Yayoi would be upset if she found someone had been touching her face after she'd forbidden it. The priestess had worked hard to accomplish a natural blush on Mio's cheeks, a light lip color to draw out the shape of her lips, and had drawn a thin, black line along her eyes to draw attention to them. She'd spent an hour forbidding everyone from touching her face, certain they'd ruin all of her hard work.

Madara's hands were on her face and his mouth was pressed against hers, the action, despite being brief, made Mio's hands weaken against his. She'd forgotten about Yayoi for a split second and all the warnings she'd stressed.

"You heard Izuna, nobody would be stupid enough to attack us on our wedding day," he said near her lips. "We should trust his word. We also have the Climate Sphere. We'll be fine."

Her heart continued its nervous drumming. She couldn't shake the feeling, but the constant reassurance did ease it. "Okay," she begun, pulling away from him to reach a row of drawers sitting against the wall. "I want you to take the Vision Sphere for the day."

"That's not necessary."

Mio tugged out the dagger from the top drawer. Since Uchiha Taiga passed away, she had not assigned it to another person to guard and kept it with her at all times. She thrust the sheathed weapon into Madara's hands with a pleading look. "It will make me feel better if you do."

Madara hesitated a moment, but ultimately tucked the dagger through his sash and returned his hands to her face, running his thumbs across her cheeks. "You look beautiful, Mio."

Blood rushed to her face as she covered his hands with her own.

"Any other precautions you want to take?" he asked.

With Saori promising to check on the Senju brothers on her behalf, she felt a little calmer and shook her head in response to his question before kissing him chastely.

Madara exited.

Saori reentered with Nako and Yayoi in tow, the two sporting frowns.

"They wanted to eavesdrop," Saori explained.

"You did a good job killing that dream," Nako said huffily.

Yayoi folded her arms over her chest with a firm nod.

"This one tried to bribe me," Saori said, setting her hand atop the priestess' shoulder. "It was quite amusing. She promised me a trunk full of jewelry."

"It was a perfectly adequate deal," Yayoi said without shame.

"I simply do not understand this obsession with overhearing all private conversations," Saori remarked disapprovingly.

Nako and Yayoi stared at her with big, sparkling eyes, as if begging to be forgiven.

Saori caved. "I supposed you cannot help yourself." She moved towards the priestess. "You should go finish preparations with Takuto and put on your robes."

"I can help you if you'd like," Nako offered. "I am done with Mio and Saori and I are already in our best kimono."

Nako and Saori were both dressed in silk, furisode kimono lightly pattered at the bottom to suit the wintry weather. Nako's was a dark blue with hints of green. She wore her vibrant red hair in a modest twist atop her head, pinned by a silver tama kanzashi with a red bead at the end. Saori dressed in dark red with white and her brown hair woven into a loose braid across her shoulder.

"I would be grateful if you could," Yayoi told her, before her eyes went to Mio, narrowing as she scanned her face in search for something she couldn't quite place. Mio hoped she hadn't noticed. "Are you planning to wear the Time Sphere and that ratty bracelet to your wedding? I can get you better jewelry. A bride and groom in my faith are usually covered in jewelry. The weight is symbolic to the responsibility they are undertaking."

Mio shook her head, frowning at the "ratty bracelet" comment. The bracelet in question had been a gift from Madara, one he sent to her via bird. It had nearly startled her to death when the giant hawk had landed on her with a scroll in its beak. It had arrived a few days after her nineteenth birthday. Madara had bought the trinket from a traveling merchant in the Wind Country when he'd been trying his hand at negotiating alliances. The bracelet consisted of several red strings, some braided, other corded, and the rest sitting loosely between the different styles. Tied at the back of her wrist, the ends of the ties were wooden beads that fell across the top of her palm. She never took it off, same as the Time Sphere.

"No, these alone are fine," Mio said, and then stopped Yayoi before she headed for the door. "And Yayoi, please keep your artifact with you at all times."

The priestess went to the table and picked up her artifact, nodding.

Looking to Nako, Mio added, "Make sure to stay near any one of my Guardians for the rest of the day."

"Got it!" Nako replied, saluting her. "Let's go, Priestess-sama."

Yayoi and Nako exited the room, giggling excitedly.

"They certainly get alone well," Saori observed.

"I'm glad," Mio said, smiling. "Nako was worried she wouldn't be able to make any good friends here."

Saori grinned. "She's a lovely girl."

Mio nodded.

"So, do you feel better? Would you like something to eat? Drink?" asked Saori as she reached her side.

"No, I'm not hungry, but I do feel better, thank you."

Saori stayed in Mio's company, speaking with her in a way that further dispelled her worries and anxiety, until Takuto and Yayoi appeared to fetch her for the ceremony. Takuto helped Mio onto her feet as Yayoi and Saori smoothed out her robes. Takuto was dressed in white trousers under a loose fitting, sleeveless shirt and a haori he tied together with a white sash at the waist.

Yayoi donned her robes, blood red in color and loose, made of a silk that flowed like water to the ground. Her black hair had been braided into small plaits along her head until they met with a high ponytail held together by a silver band studded with tiny red gems. The rest of her hair fell straight to her back with a few tiny braids woven in between. She clanked wherever she went as her wrists and ankles were decorated in several silver bands, a few were beaded bracelets as red as her robes. She colored her eyes black, making them seem hooded, but drawing out the gold flecks in her eyes and wore a red lipstick.

"You look great, Yayoi," Saori commented.

"At least you think so, Takuto yelped when I went to get him," Yayoi puffed out her cheeks.

"You jumped out of nowhere!" Takuto snapped. "You look fine!"

"Fine? I look fine, Takuto? Really?" she said, staring up at him, upset.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Figure it out, idiot!"

Saori grinned. "Should we go now?"

"Yeah, let's go," Yayoi said, waving them out the door.

"Mio! You look beautiful!" Takuto exclaimed when he looked at her.

Ahead of them, Yayoi growled in frustration.

Mio leaned towards Takuto. "That's what she wanted you to say."

Takuto blinked. "_Ohhh_."

Nako quickly joined them, rushing out of one of the rooms.

As Mio walked onto the verandah, feeling the cold of the floorboards, a fluttering anxiety assaulted her stomach. Saori and Nako followed behind her, keeping the long robes from twisting. Takuto and Yayoi led the way, continually discussing their plans for how the ceremony would go while infusing three different traditions (since Sachiyo stressed the presence of Shinto rituals to be included in the wedding).

Mio could see Madara on the other end of the verandah accompanied by Izuna, who was dressed in black hakama over a black kimono, and Sachiyo, in a deep green kimono. Kana and Sako poked their heads out of the room when Sachiyo mentioned her approach and the two were dressed in kimono. Kana in black one with a flower print along the bottom and Sako in a deep plum. Minako appeared wearing a dark yellow kimono with a black pattern and immediately rushed to Mio's side, grasping at her hand.

"You look beautiful!" she praised, her mousy hair had been twisted into a pair of buns atop her head. "You look like you're supposed to marry a prince, but you got Madara instead!"

Several people snorted, and then turned away when Madara directed his glare at them all.

"I heard that, you brat," Madara cursed.

"Well, maybe, you should have been a prince, and not Madara!" Minako stuck her tongue out at him.

Madara looked exasperated, but quit as Sako nervously apologized on Minako's behalf.

Yuuka and Noe rushed out, spinning and eager to show her their white kimono. The two wore their hair braided and Mio knew she had Sako to thank for seeing them dressed and readied.

Once Takuto and Yayoi were inside, tinkering with things in front of the altar, Madara and Mio stood beside one another, a moment in silence and stillness where Mio reached out to brush her fingers against his and felt his hand close over hers, giving it a squeeze.

Saori ushered everyone inside the room. She was the last to enter and to stand with the others several feet from the altar at the front of the room where Mio and Madara would be with Yayoi.

The ceremony began in complete silence as a long stick of incense burned for the Horned God. A long line of twisting smoke rose high from the incense stick that sat surrounded by red and white flowers spilling onto the floor. Yayoi kept her back to them as she spoke in prayer, invoking the blessing of the God of Unity, and turned to purify them after a short incantation with salt water.

Yayoi proceeded by picking up a red cord from a flat bowl in front of her golden statue and saying several words in blessing, while asking the Horned God to bless the unity. She drew a new stick of incense and lit it with one of the many surrounding candles that brightened the room with a warm glow. She blew the smoke of the incense onto the cord she had left laid amongst the flowers.

Takuto joined them as they were asked to turn to one another. He helped Yayoi join Mio and Madara's hands before tying the red cord around their hands.

The ritual that followed was one that used the Kuronuma Tree, a black-limbed sapling. In it, a couple pricked their thumb and while exchanging their vows drew a line of blood down each other's mouths, an act to stress the importance of honesty and fidelity. The small cut was done with the tree, as its limbs were razor sharp until they blossomed, which only occurred in the harshest weather conditions. The sapling represented the beginning of their relationship, new and youthful with means to grow, and as it grew taller, it was symbolic to the relationship. Once it sprouted its first blossom, a wedded couple would be blessed for eternity. The ritual used blood because the Kuronuma clan's jutsu relied on the combined effort of blood and the black water running through their veins. As blood was viewed alone as a symbol of life, the Kuronuma saw that sacrificing a droplet helped fuel to tree to grow quickly, granted the match was made to last.

Mio pressed her thumb to the pointed branch of the tree and pulled back as a bead of blood bubbled from the small wound. She looked up to Madara, who had done the same, and waited.

"We promise to heal you if it hurts," Takuto told Madara.

The ceremony was usually done between two Kuronuma, who would not be affected by the dangerous properties of their blood, and because of it, Takuto suggested leaving it out (as it often was with marriages with non-Kuronuma were common), but Madara told him to leave it as he had developed something of a tolerance after being attacked by Kuronuma before.

Madara went first, running his thumb down her lips as he spoke his vow, a promise of respect, love, and fidelity. He stared at her directly as he made his promises, making her insides quiver. He meant every word.

Mio followed his lead, promising the same as she drew a line of blood down his lips noticing him wince upon contact. However, in her anxiety, she had stuttered, which made him smile and her stomach flip.

The Kuronuma Tree would be planted the following morning at the break of dawn, as was the tradition.

Yayoi continued speaking, binding them, before asking them to give an offering to the Horned God. Mio presented white flowers and Madara brought red flowers, the offering doubling as a request for good fortune in the marriage. Yayoi would have offered them a pair of wedding bands, but earlier when the preparations were being talked through, Mio and Madara decided against them knowing they would never wear them.

They performed the _san san kudo _where they took turns sipping three times out of three flat cups of varying sizes. Only when they had taken their last three sips from the last cup did they finally drink the sake.

Yayoi concluded the ceremony with a final prayer in gratitude towards the Horned God that everything had gone accordingly without issue. Once she finished speaking, she stepped away from the altar. Mio and Madara walked forward and bowed deeply to the golden deity before approaching it once more to burn incense for it while reciting a short, prayer in gratitude, simultaneously.

The ceremony only ended after they blown out every candle in the room, shrouding it in darkness.

Mio and Madara were immediately swarmed by everyone ready to congratulate them while Kana passed out sake to toast to their happiness. Yayoi untied the red cord from their hands and told them to keep it.

"This is your marriage bond," Yayoi told Mio. "You need to take care of it."

Mio nodded, taking the cord from her outstretched hand.

Takuto gave them sake. "Make sure she doesn't drink too much, she's a terrible drunk," he advised Madara. "Very abrasive."

"We know," Madara and Saori said in unison, to Mio's shock.

Izuna appeared to hug Mio and to steal her sake cup before patting his brother on the shoulder. "Keep her happy, brother. If you can't do it, nobody can." He turned to her with a true smile. "You too, Mio, we both know how stupid Madara can be. Only you can save him from his stupidity."

Mio and Takuto laughed, which made Madara snap at them.

"Now, if everyone will go out to the compound, I'll have the food prepared for dinner," Kana announced. "Go greet on and the other guests. I heard they're all waiting."

Mio picked up the bottom of her robes as the others left the room.

"How is your mouth?" she asked, once everyone's voices sounded distant.

"Numb," Madara answered.

"We should ask Takuto to heal it, but first—" Mio put her hand behind his neck and brought him forward, pressing her mouth against his. The taste of blood and sake reminded her of the first time they kissed in Enki's castle surrounded by death. It had been the least romantic setting, but it had been what they had gotten. That moment had changed everything between them. Mio opened her mouth, running her tongue against his lips before he met it with his own, reaching around to press his hand underneath her obi to pull her closer.

Once they had drawn away, they kept their faces close, their breaths mingling.

"We should go," he suggested. "Before anyone comes back to find us."

"Yes, we should."

She wanted nothing more than to kiss him until her lips bruised, but she could be patient and wait until after the festivities concluded. She'd have him all to herself in the empty house.

Madara kissed her passionately one last time and left her side, leaving her breathless as she followed him. He waited outside and walked astride her the entire way.

They were separated when they reached the others in the large hall beside the compound where their other guests were waiting. Mio was drawn away by the Kuronuma and Murakami Keishuu, the Samurai's leader, who were eager to congratulate her. Madara went to thank other clan leaders for joining them, before beckoning her over to introduce her to all the one's she'd not had the pleasure of meeting before that evening.

The area outside was decorated in the lanterns Sako and Nako spent hours making by hand and glowed in their filtered light, filling it with warmth. There were several strung inside the gargantuan hall that offered their guests a cozy atmosphere.

Saori pulled Mio from a crowd several minutes later, leading her outside. "I am going now."

"You should have something to eat first," Mio suggested.

"Kana prepared me a small lunch to take with me. She promised not to tell anyone." Saori kissed Mio's cheek. "I will be back as quickly as I can."

"You should take one of my men. Please."

Saori nodded.

Mio called one of her Kuronuma, an older male called Fuyukichi that often acted as her guard when she required one during meetings with other clans or dignitaries. She entrusted Saori to him and asked him to be careful. He bowed, congratulated her a second time and disappeared with Saori into the woods.

She lingered outside, long after watching them leave, and hoped the ache in her bones was not a warning for those around her, but for herself. She could handle whatever was thrown at her, but having to presence the death of another Guardian would be asking too much of her. The feeling of having every bone in her body broken, a cruel and brutal torture, followed by the sense of being ripped apart—of having her soul torn asunder to accommodate the loss. Taiga's death had taken its toll on her three years ago, it left her weak and melancholy for several months, a pain that could only be alleviated by the succor of sleep.

Perhaps, his death had led to her condition. The depression of her heart might have wanted to be at peace for a stretch of time, having been unable to do so in wakefulness.

Either way, it changed something in her. She could never recover it. She would never be the same as she was before it. She paid the price for having been careless with the lives of her Guardians.

It could not be alleviated.

"Mio?"

She turned to her husband.

"What are you doing out in the cold?" Madara asked.

"I was a little overwhelmed," she told him, the words fell from her mouth organically, despite their deception, but she could see it in his dark eyes that he did not fully believed them. "I wanted some air."

"Kana is about to have the food brought in, you should have something to eat," he said, gesturing her in.

Mio followed him inside and sat beside him in the front of the room. His family and her Guardians sat closest to them, followed by the clan leaders (or representatives of them had their leaders been unable to attend, though this only seemed to have been the case with the Ito clan as Saori explained Takuei had been too sick to travel) and their families. The Elders of their respective clans, the Kuronuma clad in white and the Uchiha in black, sat across one another arguing constantly using whatever excuse available to start something with one another. The back of the room was slightly crowded with the presence of several clan members and the guards that clan leaders had brought with them.

The seven cooks proved their worth as soon as the food had been served, which boasted Kana's pride, warranting another secret shot at Madara for being unnecessarily stingy. Sachiyo appreciated that one quite a bit.

It did not take long for the others to speak of Saori's absence, questioning it for being strange, though they did this amongst themselves. Kana brushed them off, saying the last she had seen Saori, she'd been headed for the bathroom, a lie everyone seemed comfortable with as they continued to enjoy their dinner.

"Where is Saori?" asked Madara, leaning into whisper.

She looked at him inquisitively with the naivety of a person without any knowledge.

"You were outside and Fuyukichi is missing, where did you send her?" he rephrased his earlier inquiry. "I can tell you are lying when you do, my not making a mention of it does not mean you were successful."

She risked his annoyance when she admitted, "She went to the Senju."

Madara made a sound in clear irritation before he spoke through clenched teeth, "For what reason?"

"They are my Guardians, too," she said firmly. "Whether they are your enemies or not, they are my Guardians and I have a duty."

"You cannot protect them forever, we are at war with them," Madara responded menacingly. "They will die or we will die, either way you will lose Guardians because you chose to make them yours."

"I understand that."

"You should have let them be, then."

"It would not have eased my worry to let them be. Saori volunteered—"

"_Enough_," he interjected with a snarl.

Mio bristled, though she did not speak. She quietly picked up her bowl of white rice and started to eat the servings set out for her. She did not care what his opinions were on the matter, as he did not agree with her own. She could explain it if it made any difference, but it wouldn't. He wouldn't understand the concept of how giving Hashirama and Tobirama their respective spheres was because the artifact themselves chose them, though she had an unconscious inclination that they belonged to them.

Hours passed quickly once the guests had their fill of sake and overflowed with a contagious and boisterous energy that had many telling inappropriate jokes, singing old folk songs, spilling their darkest secrets, and having men courting the eligible women present. Yayoi received a lot of attention, which she appreciated, until people started to mistake Takuto for her partner and all potential suitors ran from her. Kana found herself charmed by a Kuronuma shinobi with a mop of curly white hair and bright rose eyes that towered over her by several inches. Despite her denial when asked, she definitely liked him and Mio encouraged her, speaking praises of the man, as he was the grandson of one of the Elders in her Council.

Nako, being the only Uzumaki in the room, stuck out and faced the scrutiny of many because her clan was allies to the Senju clan, which by default of many clans present was as much their enemy as the Uchiha's. She was modestly defensive, but never outright insulting, though when Mio sensed she had reached her boiling point, she interjected and kindly asked her guests to leave her. This worked against her as whispers soon reached her of the inadequacy many felt she held as a proper bride. Some of the older people present questioned the wedding in its entirety knowing she had been married previously to Mikazuki Gouki and felt that tarnished her reputation and her husband's.

The alcohol turned out to be a double-edged blade, while it brought on the merriness the atmosphere lacked in appearance, it also came with cutting words that threatened to dampen her mood, which had already suffered a blow because Madara had spent the rest of the evening since she revealed Saori's location moodier.

Despite the bump, the festivities continued merrily. Yayoi had all the women line up so she could read them their love fortune through the Fate Sphere for free. Takuto stayed by Nako's side after the events earlier. Madara and Jouji shared a drink with the leader of the Hagoromo clan and his eldest daughter. Izuna went around the room spending time with all the guests as the kimono maker's apprentice, the white-haired girl with the bright green eyes, watched him from afar. Minako befriended a young shinobi from one of the Uchiha clan's allies and spent a greater portion of the evening talking his ear off, having every bit of charm her father was known to have when he went on his conquests. Mio's twins had been put to sleep when they had started growing fussy after night had fallen and Sako had volunteered to watch them since she had retired early to be with her son, who had stayed behind with her husband. Kana disappeared with her Kuronuma suitor, the two laughing at each other's lame jokes.

Mio sat keeping Sachiyo until it came to her attention that the older woman was interviewing young girls from among the allied clans.

"What are you doing?" asked Mio, staring horrified at Sachiyo.

"We need to find a good woman for Izuna to marry," Sachiyo revealed, then pointed to a doe-eyed girl with yellow hair. "I like that one in particular. Good family, very skilled. How do you find her? Do you think Izuna would like her?"

"What?"

"Mio, if you do not plan to cooperate, you will not be needed here," Sachiyo reprimanded, suddenly shooing her. "Now, go. Go make peace with your husband. Take him to bed if you must, but I'm tired of him glaring at everyone. The guests are growing wary."

Mio was taken aback by the suggestion. "Have you been drinking?"

"'Course I've been drinking, child, how else do you think I'd stand having these girls talk my ear off! Now, go!"

"Okay, excuse me."

Mio didn't go to Madara. She went outside. She stood facing towards the frost tipped trees surrounding the Uchiha's territory and breathed in the air, closing her eyes to feel the wintry breezes brush snowflakes across her face. She wondered if Saori would be returning soon when her mind began to wander aimlessly at first through darkness until several images unfurled. Mio grabbed a hold of her head. It felt as though the new images flashing through her mind were being crammed in all at once with a force that made her head start to pulse at a similar rhythm as her heart.

The woman stopped running and looked all around her, breathing haggardly. She held a hand to her chest, rising and falling, and watched her darkened surroundings, alert to oncoming dangers. She did not move. She analyzed her situation because she was determined to escape the shadows that chased her down to see her cornered. She knew what they wanted and knew her fear was real. She understood giving into it would be a mistake she could not risk committing.

_I can reach it if I keep going,_ she thought and took several quiet steps into the cover of darkness where she sank down to her haunches for a breath. _A little more and I'll be there._

Mio recognized Saori in the pathway Yayoi had extracted, whether it had been purposely or unintentionally, she panicked as it continued to unfold. Saori did not look any different than she had when Mio sent her to the Senju, her hair was still braided loosely over her shoulder, and that worried her. The ache in her bones returned, a harrowing pain in between the joints filtered into her body as she held herself strong where she stood.

The shadowed men crept quietly above the canopy of trees and Saori lifted her eyes, slowly reaching for the short sword she hid behind her back when a pair of arms wrapped around her neck, ripping a scream from her throat—one that vibrated through Mio like a high-pitched warning. Saori was dragged across the darkness into a stream of moonlight.

Others waited there with their weapons and malice. And she fought. Using the techniques she had learned from her father, those she had practiced diligently since his death. She managed to connect the first five strings that would create a web, but when she was about to throw the rest, hands took her by the legs and pulled her under, trapping her in the earth.

A man twisted her hair in his hand and jerked it back. Pressing a cold blade to the base of her throat and the breath escaped her.

Mio sunk to her knees, hand gripping her chest as she struggled to breathe. Her head went completely black.

She took a deep shuddering breath before letting out a strangled scream. She dug her fingers into the earth and snow as she tried to bite back the pain and the tears that blurred her vision.

"Mio!"

Several voices called out her name.

Yayoi reached her first. "I don't know what happened!" she said, panicked. "It suddenly came to me and I—"

Madara, Nako, Takuto, and Izuna came into view, though her scream had put everyone on guard. Many shinobi were at the doors, peering out at them all, expecting to see what might have made her scream, though there was nothing but a vast field of white snow.

Mio searched desperately for the pulse of the Life Sphere through the Time Sphere when a devastating shudder rippled through her in revelation.

There was no pulse.

* * *

><p><strong>xl note<strong>: First of all, I would like to say, Happy New Years to everyone! I hope to continue bringing you all wonderful updates in 2015 for all the stories that you enjoy! I also have to apologize because there's been a delay on my journal only updates for Firestarter, Empress, and a new Jigsaw piece. It's like Wind Central here and it's messing with my internet, which messes with my ability to double check everything that needs to be double checked with internet (I also prioritized this the editing of this chapter so that I'd be able to release it on the 31st, even though it's 11, it's still the 31st, haha). You will see them sometime later today, after I sleep or before it, don't know yet. If you don't read those, you have nothing to worry about because you got this chapter! Yay!

Second, I don't want to say anything about this chapter. So, I'll just sit here and see what you guys think.

Ya'll knew something bad was on its way, though.

Next, I want to thank these lovely folks for being wonderful and reviewing: **Loteva**, **Melissa Fairy**, and **HushedFable**. Thank you!

Third, thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoy your New Years, whether you be partying it up or spending it quietly or being with family or all three. Whatever you are doing, I hope you enjoy yourselves today! :) I'm going to eat some tamales now! Fuck yeah, tamales!

I'll see you next chapter! :D I'll post preview for it in an hour or so at my livejournal! :)


	5. The Kuronuma Tree

Chapter **04** | The Kuronuma Tree

* * *

><p>Mio felt something warm crawl down her cheek and reached up to touch it, hot and watery against her fingertips. The tears streamed down her face, falling like droplets of water to the ground seeming to echo as loud as her hasty breaths. She clutched at her chest, every beat of her heart hurt like someone held it crushed in their fist, squeezing every second she wasted on the floor.<p>

She sent Saori out there.

Why?

How could she be so stupid?

Not again.

"It's Saori, isn't it?" Yayoi cried, covering her mouth.

Mio forced her quaking body to stand, tugging off the first two layers of her robes and the many trinkets in her hair, casting it all to the ground before she reached to take the Vision Sphere from Madara's sash.

She ran to Saori. She recognized the part of the forest she had seen in the pathway that had entered her head. She could reach it quickly.

"Mio!" Madara shouted, his voice carrying after her. "Damnit! Nako, take a team of shinobi and search the forest, capture anyone suspicious!"

"But—!" Nako began.

"Takuto!" Izuna snapped.

"Nako, do it!" Takuto ordered, his voice fading in the distance. "Take Taiki and Akira!"

Mio sped through the forest, scaling trees and jumping from one to the other in her rush to find Saori going by memory. Madara, Izuna, and Takuto chased after her, quick to catch up.

"You need to calm down!" Madara shouted.

"I can't!" she yelled. "Saori—I can't—I sent her here…I—"

She could barely think straight. It was a wonder she was running to the point her muscles were screaming from the strain.

"Calm down!" Madara snapped again. "This is reckless enough!"

"I cannot lose another Guardian!"

"If Saori is hurt and we reach her in time, I can heal her!" Takuto shouted. "Just listen to Madara and calm yourself!"

Their voices overlapping only made her cry harder, the tears fell from her eyes and her heart raged inside her ribcage. She pushed past the escalating pain, biting back every scream it threatened to take from her, and led them deep into the forest.

Mio touched the ground first, followed by Takuto. The two went straight for Saori, who they found trapped under the earth with fresh blood flowing from her neck. Takuto immediately sliced his palm open and pressed it to the wound, channeling chakra into his hand to heal the cut.

Madara and Izuna parted ways after landing, sensing the presence of the shinobi responsible.

Mio buckled under the weight of her body, heaving for air, as the muscles in her body began to cramp and twist into throbbing knots, followed by the feel of her bones being smashed by a hammer, cracked then flattened. The Time Sphere took a deep draw of her chakra and startled her when it erected its iridescent shield at her back. She heard to sound of a blade smashing to pieces when it made contact and the singing of the shards as they shimmered to the soft earth below.

A man cursed behind her. She turned slowly, her eyes widening at the sight of a strange shinobi holding the handle of his broken sword with a furrowed brow.

They knew she would come. They were after her.

Again.

No, not again.

Mio took the Vision Sphere from its sheath and attacked the shinobi swiftly, barely cutting at his legs when he jumped back, away from her. She hopped on her feet, wincing at the pain radiating through her as Takuto shouted for her to be careful, and pursued the man.

The shinobi drew several kunai, each nestled between his fingers before throwing them at her like darts whizzing through the air. She blocked them all with a swing of her dagger, the kunai flying off their trajectory and stabbing into tree trunks and the earth. As he reached into his weapon holster, she saw the crest on the breast of his jacket—an arrow pointing up with small lines along the base.

She landed for a split second and propelled herself forward, seizing him by the neck before he could pull out another set of throwing knives. The kunai spilled from his holster, clattering along the ground. She slammed him into the ground, tightening her grip on his neck to hear him croak in protest.

She dug her knee into his chest and watched his face redden. He let out a strangled noise.

They were in the middle of a small patch of dirt closed in by trees that sat too close together, the canopy of interwoven branches shielded them from all but a thin stream of moonlight that helped her sear this man's face into memory. He was not the one that pulled the knife across Saori's neck, had he been, her fury would have forced her hand to extremes.

Mercy. She could offer him mercy. This one alone.

"You have two options: tell me who sent you or die," she proposed, body singing with pain and adrenaline. She felt her heart pounding against her head and her fingers digging into his neck, so fragile in her grip. "You have one chance to speak. Only one."

She loosened her hold on his throat. He coughed violently, gulping down air in desperation. His eyes, clear and wild under the soft light, were frightened but stubborn.

She would not receive an answer.

"You won't kill me," he spat hoarsely. "You're the weak one, the compassionate one."

"Won't I?"

Mio grabbed his head, witnessing his horror as it sank into his mind that she had no compassion to offer, and she twisted it until she heard his neck crack. The life left him slowly, like a drawn out sigh.

As she rose to her feet, pushing her black hair back—wild and tangled with a lone hairpin trailing down the length of it until it hit the forest floor—her body's aches doubled. She drew her hair over her shoulder and reached down to tie the skirt of her juban above her knees to increase her mobility. She searched the dead shinobi for any information, but he only carried weapons.

She left him there and ran back to Takuto, but she was intercepted by another shinobi wearing the same arrow crest. She blocked his attack with the Vision Sphere and continued using it to hold off his blade. She pushed him off, but he kicked her in the stomach. She slammed into one of the nearby trees, coughing up saliva. His foot went to her hand holding the Vision Sphere, crushing it until she dropped the artifact. He stabbed his sword through her shoulder, pinning her to the tree, with a proud grin. The blade slicing through flesh, muscle, and scraping bone did not amount to the throbbing ache coursing through her body. It was a mere sting.

She was familiar with pain. That would not measure to the turmoil she felt, not the physical aches, the emotional ones—the nameless ones that hurt without being obvious.

"The thing about Kuronuma is that you have to pin them down," the shinobi said smartly, "keep them from putting their hands on you and you might live another day. That's how I took care of that other man." His eyes went straight to her sphere, the mist within it spinning lazily about the object sitting in its core. "This is the main artifact, is it?"

He committed the mistake of not pinning her legs. She jumped and thrust her feet forward hitting him square in the chest with all the force she could muster. He went stumbling backward until he hit a tree on the other side; the force that propelled his body put a dent on the sturdy trunk. It splintered, pieces of bark flying everywhere. He tumbled to the ground with a groan and a curse.

Mio grabbed the sword impaled in her shoulder and forced it out, the blood splattering across the floor sizzling as it sank into the earth. She moved to the shinobi as he raised his body on his hands and knees, suppressing the tremors that raked his body. She kicked him over and pointed the sharp end of his sword to his neck as a droplet of her blood rolled off, hitting him in the throat. It withdrew a guttural scream from him. The black water running through her veins seared his skin.

"Who sent you after the artifacts?"

"You think I'll tell you!" he yelled, before another droplet of her blood fell on his neck and drew a line down the side of it, making him howl in pain.

"Then know you will have a useless death," she said. "I can and will find whoever sent you and I won't care how many of your clansmen I have to kill to see it done."

"Wait—"

She plunged the sword through his throat, ramming it straight through and into the earth. The blood built up in his mouth and spilled out of it a red river. He made a choking sound.

Mio touched her shoulder and her hand came back bloody. She ripped a part of her sleeve and tied it firmly around the wound, over the shoulder and under the arm, to staunch the bleeding. She went back to the other side and picked up the Vision Sphere, sheathing the dagger and sliding it behind her sash.

She followed the pulse of Takuto's artifact and reached him without another shinobi springing out to attack her. Takuto had pulled Saori out of the earth and was holding his hand to her throat, healing her. He had a tube connecting the two together to give her a transfusion while he held onto her wrist. Trained all his life to be a Kuronuma medical specialist, Takuto's mixture of black water had been a blend of medicinal herbs and anti-poisons (as toxicology was his specialty). He knew a special technique where he could change his blood type to mimic another's and offer easy transfusions, as well as another one that helped him reproduce his blood at ten times the normal rate to circumvent weakness, though he paid a steep price in chakra. He would be weak for some time, wouldn't be able to perform the simplest of jutsu.

Mio stopped herself from approaching the two, worried she would get in Takuto's way.

"She's alive," Takuto said, smiling, and the confirmation was uplifting. "She lost a lot of blood and she has a weak pulse, but she'll be fine." He zeroed in on the wound on her. "Come here, I can heal that, too."

"No," she said quickly. "Please, just Saori."

"You don't have to stand there."

Mio hesitated before sinking down into a seat beside Saori. She clasped her hand, feeling a hint of warmth in it that brought her peace. She could not stop herself from weeping.

"I was so scared," she said, sobbing. "This was my fault. I sent her to go to the Senju." She proceeded to tell him about Fuyukichi and the shinobi that said he had killed him. "We have to find him."

"You did not know this would happen."

"No, but I had a terrible feeling the whole day. I should not have let her leave." She wiped away her tears as quickly as they dropped. "I wanted everything to be okay. I just—"

It did not take long for Madara and Izuna to return, the latter having apprehended one shinobi to interrogate. The two returned with few scratches and contusions, their fine clothes torn, dirty, and wrinkled.

"There weren't many enemies beyond this place," Madara said. "Hopefully, that Uzumaki had better luck."

"We got one," Izuna said, dragging the unconscious man behind him. "I'm back to the compound."

"Drop him off and find Nako."

Izuna nodded, leaving them quickly with his prisoner in tow.

Madara held out his hand for Mio and she took it, allowing him to pull her onto her feet. He took a moment to look at her wound by peeling back the collar of her juban and the makeshift bandage she had wrapped over it to staunch the bleeding. She winced, struggling to look down at her injury as it throbbed and oozed blood.

"How is Saori?" Madara asked, pressing his hand against her shoulder, wincing.

"I stabilized her condition," Takuto answered. "I should be able to move her once I finish this transfusion. I can't do much after this. What about Mio?"

"I'll be fine," Mio said softly, trying to move away from Madara. The pain in her body decreased, appearing in her like little pulses in different places, not all centered in the stab wound she had received. She lowered her eyes to the floor. "This is nothing."

"You are still recovering, Mio," Takuto remarked.

"This is nothing," she repeated.

"I can stop the bleeding," Madara said, "So, stand still."

Mio nodded, feeling a slight tingle against her skin as Madara's hand glowed for a brief moment.

"We can leave the rest to Yayoi," Madara told her, ripping a long strip from his sleeve. He tied it over her shoulder and under her arm, knotting it loosely before helping her pull her juban back in place.

Takuto completed the transfusion and grabbed hold of Saori, cradling in her arms as if she were as delicate as glass.

Together they traversed the forest at a slower pace.

Madara led Mio by the wrist, though he stopped periodically to dab her tears away and offer her the comfort she did not feel herself worthy of receiving.

Nako, Izuna, and Yayoi were waiting for them to arrive. Sachiyo and Kana were standing outside with a few of their guests, most of them their allies.

Yayoi went straight to Takuto with watery eyes. "Oh, Saori!"

"She's okay, I'm taking her to the encampment," Takuto said. "I leave Mio to you."

Yayoi ran to Mio's side, quick to notice the blood. "Mio!"

"I captured several shinobi," Nako relayed to Madara. "Took them all to the compound and saw to that they were properly caged."

"Good," Madara said with a slight nod. "Izuna, have several scouting teams assembled. This was a calculated attack and if these men were foolish enough to be caught, they are foolish enough to leave a trail. Find it."

"Yes, brother," Izuna said. "Nako, let's go."

"Oh, me too?" Nako questioned, looking to Mio for approval.

"Go Nako," Mio said.

Nako followed Izuna's lead. She had torn a chunk of the bottom fabric of her kimono's skirt, to permit better mobility. Izuna had discarded his ripped clothes for a more comfortable outfit.

Yayoi sat with Mio as Madara went to explain the situation to his clan's allies. The priestess cleaned out her wound before healing it.

"I worried we would lose Saori," Yayoi whispered.

"I thought we did," Mio answered, her hands trembling.

The priestess took her hands and squeezed them. "I wanted everything to be okay."

"That would be impossible," Mio answered, finding Madara's back in the distance. "There is always reason to wage war. So long as these artifacts exist, we will always be in danger. You saw it in the Fate Sphere. We are all in danger, not only me. Someone is plotting against me again and they are after the artifacts."

Yayoi leaned in to rest her forehead against Mio's good shoulder. Mio felt the priestess begin to tremble and heard her hiccup. The warm tears that fell from the priestess' eyes fell sank through the thin fabric of her juban. "I'm scared, Mio," Yayoi cried. "I couldn't see any of this. I should have seen this. I should have been able to see this. Saori could be dead now and I could have—I could have stopped it."

Mio's heart hurt and her eyes were wet from her own tears as she wrapped an arm around Yayoi, holding her head. "None of this was your fault," Mio said, reminding herself that she needed to be strong. "We should be happy that we found Saori on time. Takuto is doing everything to make sure she'll recover."

As the priestess tried to contain her tears, Mio watch Madara leave the leaders and representatives of his allied clans, who inclined their heads in respect when they became aware of her stare.

Madara returned to her side. "I asked them to return to their own clans," he said. "They will be safer away from here."

"We have to move everyone," Mio told him. "We can't leave anyone here to the dangers this night has brought."

"Move them where?"

"I will gladly take everyone to the Iron Country," came Murakami Keishuu's voice. The samurai's leader came to stand with them, an older male with his gray hair pushed back. The man had a square jaw covered in gray hair that hid the small scar on his chin, but not the one he had over his right temple. At Madara's glare, he added, "I apologize for eavesdropping, but if this place is to become a battlefield, it might be best to evacuate those that may not be able to protect themselves. Here they will simply become another weapon against you. Besides, my wife would like to see the twins again."

Mio nodded.

"You can keep Keigo, though."

"What?"

Yayoi raised her head, wiping her tears, to look at Keishuu. "What's a Keigo?"

"I don't need Keigo right now," Mio told him.

"He will do you some good, keep him, I don't want him," Keishuu said dismissively. "I'll have him dropped off after I make it to the Iron Country. So, just round everyone you want gone and call for me. I'm going to find alcohol."

Madara and Yayoi exchanged glances, then returned their eyes to Mio.

"Who the hell is Keigo?" asked Madara.

"Yeah, I want to know that, too," Yayoi said, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeves.

Mio stood up. "Now is not the time, we have to move everyone."

She beckoned a Kuronuma that was walking by. There were more important things to do than sit around and feel sorry for herself. "Gather a group," she started solemnly. "Fuyukichi is dead. I need you to find his body." She paused, her throat dry. "If you are attacked, you must fight."

"Yes, Shugosha-sama," he said, bowing and walking off to do as she bid.

"Yayoi, please go see if Takuto requires any assistance."

Yayoi stood. "Yes, I'll go do that."

Once she was out of earshot, Mio turned around to face Madara. "I'll make sure everyone is gathered and on their way before the night is through."

"You shouldn't overwork yourself," Madara advised.

She shook her head. "I'll be fine," she said. "Please, don't worry about me."

"Don't do anything stupid, Mio."

Mio returned the Vision Sphere to him. "Take it with you, wherever you may be going."

When Madara left her side, Mio felt her body sway. She grabbed onto the nearest wall, holding herself up. She took several calming breaths before pulling herself together and walking to round everyone up to travel. She didn't have time to be weak.

* * *

><p>Mio woke the following morning at dawn because she heard a sound downstairs. She rose into a seat and the dry washcloth sitting on her forehead fell onto her lap. Madara wasn't lying beside her, which explained the noise. She left the room in pursuit of the shuffling downstairs. The house was empty without everyone sleeping in it, but even though it would have been smart to stay together, Yayoi stressed the importance that she and Madara spend a whole week alone in his grandmother's house, as Sachiyo had decided. Everyone had decided to stay in the Kuronuma clan's encampment behind the large house.<p>

She quietly walked down the stairs, exiting into the long verandah that wrapped around the house. She followed it to the room where she and Madara had been married and found him with the black-barked sapling in his arms. The Kuronuma Tree was supposed to be planted the day after the ceremony and it was supposed to become a symbol of their marriage. However, Takuto insisted it was fine to break tradition after their eventful reception.

Last night had been difficult. It had been hard not to shoulder any guilt about having sent Saori out to the Senju clan's territory because it had nearly cost her life. It had shaken Mio to the core, but having been confronted by Yayoi's own guilt had reminded her that she needed to be strong. She had to be a pillar for them, for her Guardians. So, she had stopped her tears and had gone ahead gathering every civilian in their territory, which had included her twins Yuuka and Noe. The girls had cried and clung to her, calling out for Takuto to help convince her otherwise. Keishuu had to pry them off her body, even though it had meant his face would receive a pummeling at their small hands.

Mio had resisted crying, every inch of her body shaking with the desire to let the emotion go, but if she had caved to it, she had no idea how she would recover and she had much left to do. She had watched them go, wailing until their voices had disappeared in the distance.

"You shouldn't be up," Madara told her, moving past her. "Yayoi said you should be resting."

Mio took the sapling from his arms, feeling as though she had taken a great weight from him. "I wasn't going to succumb to a fever."

"You were sick the entire night."

Mio had woken in the middle of the night gasping for breath, her throat aching with every violent cough. Madara had brought her water and had tried to help her drink it, but it had made her feel like she had been drowning. It had left her shaken, but he had held her in his arms. His left arm had carefully cradled her head, hand on her forehead, and his other arm had been looped under her knees where he had clasped her hand. She had tightened her grip to the point she felt she had crushed his bones.

Once the coughing had subsided, Madara had informed her that she had been feverish. He had left her in bed to fetch Yayoi (because Takuto had been busy with Saori), who had assured him that it had just been a fever and likely the repercussions of her fight earlier that day.

She had been feverish the whole night, as he had accused.

"Wait here." Mio put the sapling on the porch. "I'll come back quickly."

Mio returned to their room and pulled a haori on over her sleeping robes. She grabbed one of Madara's haori and a scarf before leaving. She made her way to his side, handing him the black haori. As he slipped into it, Mio draped the scarf over his nape and wrapped it around his neck. She tugged his haori towards the middle, smoothing out the fabric across his shoulders.

"You shouldn't push yourself," Madara told her.

"I promise you that I'm not." Mio smiled lightly. "Let's plant this tree."

Madara nodded, allowing her to pick up the tree and lead the way. He carried a spade to help dig a hole, though he accidentally dropped it over a frozen bucket when his sandaled feet sank into the snow.

They ventured to the lake that sat near Sachiyo's home. He had proposed early on that it would be a good place to plant the tree because she liked to fish and would need the shade if she continued to do so. She had no objections to it.

She thought it would look lovely in full bloom.

"I can hear your teeth chattering," Mio pointed out, hearing Madara force himself to stop, though he fought a losing battle. Since she had strengthened the Climate Sphere last night, the temperatures had dropped several degrees. "You should have been the one to stay behind."

"Shut up," he grumbled. "I'm fine."

It had gotten chilly enough for her to feel it, but she easily remedied the cold with another layer of clothes or an extra blanket.

The lake had frozen overnight; its surface glistened iridescently in the morning light. Mio stared on ahead at the horizon, at the frosted trees sitting aligned around the lake, at the snow on the ground, at the sun shining behind white clouds moving slowly to reach its peak. There was something infinitely beautiful about the scenery and something increasingly wrong with her heart. It tightened in her chest, growing heavier with every millisecond that rushed them by. She thought it might explode, everything bursting from it like a broken dam caving to the pressure of the water.

Madara stabbed the spade into the ground, coming to stand beside her. He tugged his scarf up above his nose and held his hands to his mouth, puffing out hot air onto them.

She sensed his steady gaze on her profile, observing her and knowing that he watched her crumbling.

"You don't need to be strong for me, Mio," he said, surprising her. She snapped towards him, big eyed and tremulous. "I know you are hurt. I know your body is aching. I know that you're scared. I know you hated losing Taiga, and now, you almost lost Saori."

Mio reached past him, taking the spade from the ground forcefully. She didn't want her brittle heart to break, so she chose not to listen.

She picked a spot and pushed the spade through the snow, shoveling it into a small mount beside her before stabbing into the earth.

"You are allowed to cry, Mio," Madara told her, standing back.

"What will crying solve?" she demanded. "I cried enough! I don't have time for crying any longer. I'm not a child. I'm a Shugosha and I have responsibilities and I have to keep them safe. I have to keep all of them safe."

"Someone is waging a war against you—"

"I know that!" Mio clutched the Time Sphere hanging from her neck and pulled on the black cord a bit. "And it is because of this! Because I'm not strong enough to destroy them!"

"You will find a way," he assured.

"But what if I do and I can't destroy them, not before it kills me," Mio continued. "What if I can't before another one of my Guardians is killed? What if it isn't one, it's two, it's three, it's all of them? What am I supposed to do then? What if I get killed before that? I can't—" She let her Time Sphere go and abandoned the spade, tossing it aside. She dug her hands into the frozen soil, forcefully pulling chunks of it. "I can't. I can't do this. I can't go through this. I don't want to be Shugosha. I don't want to feel this way."

Saori's near-death had recalled the memories that haunted her. The bloody induction she had been given into the Artifact War by Mikazuki Gouki, who had slain her parents before her eyes. The torture she had endured at the hand of her aunt, which had left her back covered in tiny little scars that ached every so often, after witnessing Eito's death, the blood pouring from his ruptured neck was like a violent red river. The invasion of Mt. Hyōga that had taken Yuuka and Noe's parents as well as her great-grandfather and predecessor, which had caused her to go to succumb to Motou Ayuka in the Sun Country. The humiliation and disgust she had experienced at Motou Enki's side. Her relinquishing her title as Shugosha to save Madara after he had been poisoned and near death before she had gone to marry Gouki. The reminded of Gouki's touch on her skin that had revolted her and the helplessness that had kept her prisoner. The death of her grandfather had always saddled a weight on her body, of guilt she had not yet surpassed because she had always (and will always) believed that if she had not felt that inkling of hesitation towards killing Gouki, her grandfather would have lived. Nishiki's castle having been destroyed and littered with death, and the activation of the Universe Sphere that had spelled an end to all of their efforts.

Everything had culminated in one thing: the death of Uchiha Taiga, her Vision Sphere Guardian. It had taken a piece of her being.

Mio shoveled more chunks of dirt out of the way with bleeding fingers as Madara shouted for her to stop, but she didn't listen. Everything came pouring out in tears and sobs, but she pushed through the pain in her chest, feeling it numb against that in her hands.

"Stop this!" Madara shouted, seizing her bloody hands by the wrists. His voice had boomed through the area, silencing everything within it. "Stop it!"

"Stop hurting yourself," he told her, lowering his voice, eyes on her. "You're already crying."

Mio sobbed, bringing her hands up to cover her face. She let out another pained sound.

As she sat hunched on the ground, crying, Madara picked up the spade and continued to dig the hole. It took him some time to make it deep enough, but once it was he heaved the sapling inside. He quickly pushed the dirt in around it, finishing once he patted the area about the small trunk with snow.

He took the handkerchief from his pocket after taking the seat beside her and wrapped a fresh cut on his palm. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as her body shook with emotion.

"Saori is alive," he said. "That's enough. Takuto said you can visit her whenever you want."

She nodded, continuing to cry beside him silently.

"I'll find out who did this to her. Everything will be fine."

* * *

><p><strong>1<strong>. Juban – underclothes—like a camisole, except kimono-shaped article of clothing—worn underneath a kimono. There are two basic styles of juban, a one-piece that resembles a kimono only that it is shorter, and a two-piece juban, which consists of a top and wrap-around skirt bottom.

* * *

><p><strong>xl<strong>: Mio is definitely going to die of sadness at the rate things are going.

On the plus side, Saori is alive! D:

I'm sorry about the last chapter, though. I'm sorry about this one, too. They're pretty depressing. :'(

Many thanks to: **Loteva** and **SilverRider09** for reviewing the previous chapter!

I initially wrote this chapter in Takuto's POV, but I ended up changing it. I still think his POV was pretty awesome, so I posted it as a Jigsaw chapter at my livejournal if anyone is curious about reading it!

There should be a preview up for the next chapter on my livejournal, too.

Thank you for reading!

-On a gross, unrelated note, I had a Flying Gorilla earlier and omg...I can't stop burping the fucking banana! I'm like tired of it's nonsense!


	6. The Amamori Brothers

Chapter **05** | The Amamori Brothers

* * *

><p>Madara shifted as Mio snuggled up against him, resting her head on his arm. He pulled the sheets over her naked back, but she pushed them down to her waist after a few minutes. He let her be, and for a while, he toyed with the red bracelet on her wrist. He sent it to her by hawk knowing it would terrify her. He figured it'd be a nice surprise for her nineteenth birthday—the hawk, not the bracelet.<p>

Mio fell asleep as soon as he started raking his fingers through her hair. She spent day in and out sitting at Saori's side waiting for her to wake up as his interrogation of the captured shinobi had only given their mercenary clan a name, the Ishiki of the Earth Country. They had no way to locate their territory within the Earth Country, not without their prisoners directing them, which they had no intention of doing.

Madara woke an hour after Mio had gone on her morning run, surprised she had not woken him before leaving. Izuna came knocking as Madara prepared to go find him, having learnt that he had returned from the Tea Country last night.

"I am starving!" Izuna complained, pushing his way past him. "Did Mio make anything to eat?"

"She boiled water and called it tea," Madara replied, following his brother to the kitchen once he shut the door. "I made rice and broiled fish. Why didn't you make yourself something? It's not like Kana never taught you how to survive."

"I just came back from a very exhausting journey. I don't have time to make myself anything and Yayoi is hogging Takuto," Izuna explained. "We should have kept Kana."

"Kana needed to stay with our grandmother," Madara told him. "She'd be safer away from here."

"Kana is an Uchiha, too," Izuna said. "She might not be able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, but she could throw a knife at a target well enough. I'd be terrified of encountering her if she was waving around a butcher knife."

Madara shook his head.

Izuna tinkered about the kitchen piling leftovers onto a single plate. He poured himself a cup of Mio's tea. "Anyway, we should have kept Kana. She's our best cook. Takuto's second best, but again, Yayoi is hogging him. Mio was my next choice, but she's not here. Akira invited me to sit to eat with him and his brothers, but the Kuronuma have a strange diet. Mostly heavy in beef and venison. And they don't always have rice or vegetables."

Madara watched Izuna drink the tea, his face quickly twisting into one of disgust.

"It's just boiled water," he complained, setting the cup down.

"Why would you assume otherwise?" Madara asked. "I have shown her a dozen times, but I assume she is always in a rush that she forgets to add the tea leaves. Besides, you know Mio only knows how to cook fish on a campfire. She's only eating because I'm feeding her."

Izuna laughed. "Aren't you happy Kana taught you how to cook for your wife?"

"Madara-sama! Izuna-sama!"

Madara turned, hearing the rush of steps as Arata's voice reached them. The younger Uchiha burst through the kitchen doors, calling out for them.

"What is it?"

"The leader of the Amamori clan of the Waterfall Country crossed into our territory," Arata said, catching his breath.

"Aren't they the Ito clan's allies?" asked Madara, looking to his brother for confirmation.

Izuna shrugged.

"They attacked Mio-sama!"

Izuna slammed his hands on the counter surface. "Lead with that, Arata!"

Madara cursed as he rushed out with Izuna in tow, Arata shouting after them, but when they made it to Mio, they found her unscathed with a man lying on the floor beaten to a bloody pulp. There was another man hunched over the one on the ground shouting at her.

"What is wrong with you, you beast?"

Mio stared at him with indifference.

Izuna grabbed the man by the neck before knocking him out with a punch. As the man dropped atop his companion, Madara noticed a scroll bounce across the ground, rolling to a stop in front of him. He picked it up while Izuna went to Mio, asking her a thousand questions a minute, and unfurled it.

He recognized Mio's awful handwriting informing Ito Takuei of Saori's attack and under it, he found a new note written neatly.

_I've sent you two idiots. Watch over them, the Amamori are good allies._

_I leave Saori in your care._

_Takuei_

Madara found an extra sentence underneath Takuei's signature. _You should better your handwriting, Shugosha; it took my best cryptologist to decipher this one._

"Isn't this the scroll you sent Takuei four days ago?" asked Madara, holding it up for Mio to see.

Mio stared at it long and hard in deep concentration. She lifted her eyes to his. "I am not apologizing."

"Nobody is asking you to apologize."

"They attacked you first, Mio-sama, you shouldn't have to apologize for anything," Arata said loudly, avoiding eye contact when she turned to him.

"See, they attacked me first," Mio repeated.

"You don't need to apologize," Madara said loudly.

Izuna nudged the two Amamori shinobi. "What do we do with them?"

"They'll freeze to death if we leave them here," Mio said, going back to them. She reached for the two shinobi and singlehandedly hoisted the two on her back, one atop the other draped across her shoulders. "Arata, please call Yayoi."

Arata sprinted away. It always amazed him how quickly the young man got things done when Mio asked them of him.

"Takuto will be livid if he sees you carrying those two around," Izuna pointed out.

"Takuto isn't here, and you will not tell him."

Madara followed the two past the verandah and into an empty sitting room where Mio deposited the two men. Yayoi and Arata came running inside, the priestess quickly mending the wounds of the Amamori shinobi that had attacked Mio.

"What did he do to you?" Yayoi complained, glaring at Mio. "You broke his arm and several of his ribs."

Mio grabbed hold of Madara's arm, surprising him, where her grip tightened when she said, "He came out of nowhere."

"What?" came everyone's exclamation.

"I panicked."

"Pft." Izuna covered his mouth to keep himself from laughing.

"You panicked…?" asked Yayoi, dumbfounded.

"He scared her," Madara revealed, noticing her hand twitched against his arm confirming his statement.

Yayoi and Arata stared at her utterly confused as her ears turned red.

"You nearly killed a man because he scared you?" Yayoi questioned.

Unable to remain silent, Izuna started to laugh hysterically, further embarrassing Mio.

"You slapped Takuto when he snuck up on you," Madara said in Mio's defense.

"Yeah, I slapped him, Mio almost killed a man. He has internal bleeding!"

"Then fix it! You're not a medic-nin for nothing, are you?"

A few hours later, they found themselves sitting in front of the Amamori shinobi, a pair of brothers. The eldest, Akihiko, and the one Mio almost succeeded in killing, was the current leader of the Amamori clan. Akihiko sat cheerfully, bandaged from head to toe with strands of blond hair sticking out. His brother, Takehiko, had the same blue eyes as his brother, but a darker shade of blond hair, and a snobbish air about him.

The two apologized to Mio, not because they had any reason to after she beat one and considered doing the same to the other, but because they were terrified she would do it again for any breach in decorum. She accepted the apology, true to her earlier statement that she wouldn't be the one saying sorry.

"We came to see, Saori-san," Akihiko announced. "After hearing from Takuei that she was attacked, I asked him to allow me to come in his place."

"I have the best medical specialist caring for Saori," Mio responded calmly. "She is alive and stable, but she has not woken since the attack."

"There are better medical specialists out there," Takehiko said. "Maybe you need to seek another opinion."

"The Kuronuma clan's medical specialists have knowledge of far greater healing arts than any other clan," Madara told him. "And Kuronuma Takuto is the best. You will not find another medic with his ability."

"If you wish to see Saori, I can take you to her," Mio suggested, standing. "You can assess her condition if that is what you desire."

The two jolted, scrambling onto their feet. "Yes!"

Madara stood, deciding it would be best to accompany her. He dismissed Izuna, Arata, and Yayoi.

Mio led the Amamori brothers through the Kuronuma clan's encampment, directing them past Takuto's yurt to the one behind it where Saori was recovering. Takuto, who had been seated besides Saori's bedding, stood quickly at the sight of guests and Mio watched both Amamori shinobi look up to the much taller man in amazement.

"These are Amamori shinobi," Mio introduced briefly, allowing them to finish on their own.

"I am Akihiko," said the Amamori clan's leader, and then gestured to his brother politely. "This is my younger brother, Takehiko."

"Ah." Takuto's face lit up with recognition. "I'm Kuronuma Takuto, nice to meet you. Saori has told me all about you Akihiko-san."

"Really?" Akihiko brightened. "What has she said?"

"Oh, it's best you don't know, but it's really nice to meet you," Takuto responded, waving a dismissive hand.

"You can't just say something like that and not tell me," Akihiko cried.

"Brother, that isn't why we are here," Takehiko reminded.

"That's right, Saori," Akihiko began, looking past Takuto to Saori.

"Oh, are you here to see Saori?" asked Takuto. "She's resting. All her vital signs are—"

"Takuei-san sent us here in his place," Akihiko began, but his brother quickly interrupted. "He wanted us to make sure she was receiving the best care possible."

"I can guarantee that she—"

"We do not believe you are a fit medical specialist," Takehiko finished, interrupting Takuto. "We believe there are a crop of many others that might be more reliable than you. After all, we've only just met you."

In his periphery, Madara saw Mio cover her face with her hand and watched all the cheerfulness and lightness that made Takuto himself vanish from his expression, though his smile remained.

"Excuse me?" Takuto asked strangely.

"You've done a wondrous job, I'm sure," Akihiko tried, "but—"

"We believe this was too much for one person to handle," Takehiko continued. "Saori-san could have received more damage than you are able to—"

"I can assure you that Saori is receiving the best care available," Mio interjected.

"Takuto is the most celebrated Kuronuma medic," Madara added. "You've only just met him; you've no reason to doubt his talent."

"And for the same reason, I've no reason to trust in his _talent _either," Takehiko remarked.

"Takehiko…watch your tongue," Akihiko said weakly. "That's Uchiha Madara."

"I don't care who he is," Takehiko snapped, silencing his brother. "There's a hundred other medical specialists out there known for their fame, but nobody's ever heard of a Kuronuma Takuto."

"The Kuronuma aren't fame chasers," Takuto responded, surprisingly cool. "I do not claim to be the best at what I do, but I am good at doing what is necessary for Saori's recuperation. Now, I will respect Takuei-san's decision to send you on his behalf and allow you to visit Saori, otherwise, I would have you shipped back to whatever hole you crawled out of, you disrespectful snakes." He smiled brightly. "Excuse me."

Takuto stepped out of the yurt briskly and Mio went after him, but not before glaring at the Amamori brothers.

"Enjoy your stay," Madara said evenly, exiting. He planned to have those two thrown out of his territory immediately, knowing Takehiko would continue being problematic, but he had suppressed the urge because Ito Takuei had left them in his care.

Akihiko chased him outside. "I must apologize!"

Madara paused, turning on his heel to face the nebbish shinobi.

"My brother"—Akihiko hesitated—"he says whatever he wants and—"

"I'm not the one you should apologize to," Madara said curtly, leaving him to see whether Izuna had an update on the Ishiki shinobi situation.

* * *

><p>Madara was the first to notice when a third visitor stumbled through the Climate Sphere's barrier. He ordered a small team to find whomever it was that entered and after a short stretch of time, one of his shinobi returned while Izuna had taken to torturing their prisoners with genjutsu.<p>

"It was a boy," the shinobi told him.

"A boy?" asked Madara.

The Uchiha nodded. "A bit younger than Arata, I suppose," he continued. "We found him unconscious. Most likely dehydration or simply exhaustion. He does not pose a threat. We believe he might be a samurai from the Iron Country."

"Inform Mio," Madara ordered. "Let her handle this."

"Yes, sir."

The shinobi quickly exited.

"Was she expecting someone?" Izuna asked, sitting back into a seat on the verandah. Their seven remaining prisoners were kept outdoors braving the Climate Sphere's blizzards tied to stone pillars by rope molded from the Kuronuma's black water. They had been left to freeze and starve, offering reprieve to anyone willing to speak. Since they had been captured, three of their prisoners had died; most had been left with their wounds untreated and succumbed to their severity.

"Murakami Keishuu was sending his son over to see if she found him useful," Madara answered, sliding the doors shut on the opposite side of the room. He walked across to reach his brother's side. "I have a feeling that he simply did not want to handle his own son, thus left him in our care."

"How bad is his son?"

He shrugged. Mio had avoided speaking of Murakami Keigo.

"I'm going to assume it's bad if Mio hasn't told you a thing," Izuna remarked. "What does Takuto have to say about him?"

"Takuto never met him."

"How?" Izuna questioned, baffled. "They were only living in the Iron Country together!"

"Apparently, Murakami Keigo was living with his grandparents. Mio was the only one that met him. She apparently had business with him one or two years ago."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"It's just boring."

"What is?"

"Well, I thought this story would be a little more exciting."

"How?"

"I don't know." Izuna leaned forward. "So, what happened to the Amamori brothers?"

"The rude one continues to insist on bringing another medical specialist," Madara responded. Amamori Takehiko had singlehandedly landed a permanent place on Takuto and Mio's bad sides. Takuto had acted with forced kindness when confronted with the audacious one, but Mio had been less obvious in making it known that she had no interest in his existence by ignoring him. Nako had tried keeping the peace in Saori's place while Yayoi had proceeded to betray them by admitting she had found Takehiko to be quite handsome. Mio had threatened to disown her.

The threat's purpose had worked against Mio because it had only served to fuel Yayoi's interest in Takehiko, who had done a better job presenting himself to the priestess than any other person he had encountered.

"We should try to kill him and make Takuto heal him," Izuna suggested. "Ah, but Takuto would let him die."

"He's not vindictive."

"He should be a little more menacing as a leader; you can't go wrong with menacing—oh, well, I guess he has Mio for that." Izuna shuddered when a cold wind struck. "It's cold out here! When are you all going to give up and tell us what we want to know? It's not hard!"

"Leave them," Madara said. "Takuto offered to make them speak. If all else fails, Mio said she had a method, though she'd rather not use it."

"Oh? I was never aware Mio was versed in torture."

"Grandma used to have her sit through a few interrogations when she was younger. Most were torture." Madara folded his arms over his chest. "Though it's not to say she is versed in it, she just has a way to make them speak. She wouldn't be so adverse to it if it wasn't going to guarantee results."

"I wonder what it is."

Madara went to Mio's side after leaving his brother with the prisoners. She sat in front of the small mound where the Climate Sphere had been buried likely tampering with it. When he approached her, he saw the Time Sphere, which hung from her neck, glowing softly.

"How is the boy that stumbled through the barrier?"

The light the Time Sphere emitted slowly waned as Mio exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders loosening. She looked up.

"It was Murakami Keigo," Mio answered. "His overexcited nature likely persuaded him to run the entire way without rest. He exhausted himself as expected. I doubt he's eaten either. But, he will be fine after resting."

"Good," he said. "What of the Amamori brothers?"

"Amamori Akihiko-san is with Saori. He never leaves her side."

"And Takehiko?"

"Who?"

Madara laughed. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Learning the Climate Sphere," she said, rising. "I wanted to make sure I could do everything to make it stronger."

She dusted her clothes of snow and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Were you successful?" he asked.

She nodded. "Now I need to lie down a moment."

Madara walked back to his grandmother's house with her.

"Mio!" Yayoi's shouting reached them as they were making their way onto the porch. "Oh! Fantastic, Madara is with you! Madara!"

The priestess quickly came into view with the eldest Amamori running behind her. She stopped in front of them abruptly, catching her breath.

"What is it?" asked Mio.

"Ishiki"—Yayoi gasped for breath—"Amamori—" She tried standing upright, but was still a little slouched. She gestured to Akihiko, who was standing with her waiting for her to speak. "Akihiko-san—you—"

"Oh, okay, well," Akihiko began, looking at them rather nervously. "You see, Yayoi-san mentioned that you had Ishiki prisoners, and well, I told her that my clan was familiar with them. Our clans used to be allies and then we were enemies and then we were just—"

"Get to the point!" Madara said snappishly.

"He said the Ishiki clan had allied with Mikazuki Rikuto!" Yayoi blurted.

"No," Mio responded. "That's impossible."

"I am absolutely certain that the Ishiki allied with the Mikazuki clan, several of their clansmen have been seen moving to the Earth Country," Akihiko explained. "Many of my scouts have seen them. They bear their crest as a scar, a crescent with a line running through it vertically, right?"

"It is very likely that the Mikazuki clan is the reason the Ishiki clan knew enough about the artifacts to recognize them," Madara said. "Who knows more about the artifacts apart from the Kuronuma clan?"

"It can't be Rikuto," Mio said stubbornly. "He would not mobilize his men against me—"

"Mio! He's the only one that makes sense!" Yayoi argued. "He can be just as bad as Gouki—"

"No, I would have known."

"Mio, he sank your ship! That says a lot about a person!"

"He was protecting his mother!"

Madara turned to her quickly, recognizing the change in her expression. "What?"

"She was already dead!" Yayoi exclaimed. "He didn't have a reason! He just saw the Shugosha and knew she couldn't swim and decided to sink your ship!"

"No, she wasn't, was she, Mio?" asked Madara.

Mio sighed, and with great reluctance, spoke, "No. She was alive."

"I need to sit down," Yayoi said, taking a seat on the porch.

Akihiko stared at them all blankly. "So, what's happening?"

"What's happening is that Mio lied to us all," Yayoi stated. "I thought we were all friends here and that we told each other everything, but obviously, you didn't trust us enough to tell us that you went to see Ayuka before she died. That's what happened."

"Who's Ayuka?"

"She is an evil woman that you should be happy is dead because if she wasn't, we would probably be dead instead."

"Why would you lie about seeing her alive?" Madara asked, irritated that she had kept it a secret, even from him.

"Yayoi, Akihiko-san, leave us," Mio said, turning away from them to face him fully.

"But—"

"Tell Izuna about what you know. He should start asking the right questions," Mio ordered. "Feel free to tell gossip about everything else you've learned. I will gather you all and come clean after I speak with Madara."

"Fine, but you better tell us everything."

Akihiko and Yayoi left together.

"Had I told you I would be meeting Ayuka, you would have called me reckless and tried to stop me," Mio began, walking into the nearest sitting room. Madara followed her, sliding the door shut behind him. "Had I told you that I stayed beside her until her death, you would have called me reckless. I did not see reason to explain what I had done because I haven't learned the words that make my actions sound reasonable. It was a stupid, incredibly reckless thing to do. I knew that then and I know it now. I shouldn't have done it, but I did."

"Why would you go all the way to the Sun Country to see the woman who ruined your life?" Madara asked.

"Because I needed to see her dead," she answered. "She caused me a lot of pain and I needed to see it end with her death. Mikazuki Rikuto was kind to me and he assured me that he had no interest in fighting any wars against me. So, I don't think he would do this. It's impossible."

"You are lucky to have left the Sun Country alive, Mio!" he snapped. "How can you be this gullible?"

"How?" she repeated stiffly. "Quite easily. I am foolish and I choose to believe him, whether that makes me gullible or not. He gave me his word. I want to believe in his word."

Mio walked towards the door. She would definitely be stubborn about it and changing her mind would be impossible.

"And if he is behind all of this?" Madara asked.

She left the room. "I'm going to lie down."

Madara followed her because he finally found the opportunity to spring this on her. "Mio!"

She turned down the first hallway to make it to the staircase.

"Mio! Come to the Sun Country with me!"

She halted, facing him. "What?"

"You want to go after the people responsible and I need to go to the Sun Country for Yayoi."

"But the Ishiki clan—"

"We can send Izuna or Takuto to the Ishiki clan. We can make use of the Amamori's presence in our territory." She didn't look convinced. "You can use the opportunity to prove the Mikazuki Rikuto isn't responsible for Saori's attack. I need your help making it into the Sun Country."

"Fine. I'll go." Mio disappeared up the stairs.

Madara went back to the compound where Yayoi had gathered with Izuna, Takuto, and Nako. Judging by the way that they looked at him when he entered, Yayoi had told them everything she knew. Madara grabbed a hold of Takuto's shoulder, knowing he was Mio's confidant. "Did you know?"

Takuto raised his hands in resignation. "No! I didn't!"

Madara let him go. "She said she went to get closure."

"It makes sense," Takuto said, "but she shouldn't have gone on her own. She could have been killed."

"The good thing is that she wasn't," Nako said, receiving the brunt of everyone's glares. Her eyebrows knitted in irritation. "Well she didn't!"

"She's lucky she wasn't killed," Izuna corrected. "Given that Mikazuki Rikuto is feeding clans like the Ishiki information about the artifacts, I doubt it's the first alliance the Mikazuki made outside the Sun Country since Ayuka's death. Now I'm sure that we will be receiving more attacks on his order."

"But what does he expect to do with the artifacts?" Yayoi questioned. "What does he gain from telling everyone which artifact is the main one when nobody except Mio can use it, unless she makes someone else Shugosha."

"Yes, but she made that clear during the Artifact War three years ago," Takuto said. "She made it known to Ayuka that she was the one with that ability and that Shinra simply inherits it. Maybe he wants to continue with his mother's work and see that the spheres return to their rightful place. What did Mio tell you?"

"She didn't tell me anything," Madara replied. "She only said that she didn't believe Mikazuki Rikuto would try to attack her. She wants to trust him."

"The Mikazuki clan owes her nothing. As far as they're concerned, she's the reason their leaders are dead," Yayoi stated. "I don't know how she could be this thick. I bet he just apologized to her and she ate it all up."

Everyone agreed with a simultaneous grumble.

"Well, we suddenly have a better excuse to invade the Sun Country," Izuna commented. "You know, better than releasing the Motou clan from the evil Mikazuki clan's hold because that is our excuse, right?"

"We didn't have an excuse," Madara corrected. "We wanted to invade and that was that. Mio agreed to go."

"Does she know what we want her to do?" asked Izuna.

"No."

"But she agreed to go?"

"Yes."

"I think it's best we just go with that," Yayoi said. "We can break it to her in a more comfortable environment later."

"What do you want her to do?" asked Nako.

"Only seduce a tyrant," Izuna replied, surprised when everyone shot him odd stares, "which is what she does best. I mean, she's married to Madara. You hear that? Married. She's not just with him. She took the big step. They are in it forever and we all know he's a huge tyrant."

"Izuna, shut up!"

"Do you see how he talks to me?"

"Shut up already!"

"That's true. She's managed to seduce Izuna too and I don't think she was trying," Nako said, giggling with Yayoi. "He's just a secret tyrant."

"Nako, you shut up!" Izuna snapped. "And Yayoi, don't encourage her!"

Madara let those three snap at each other and turned his complete attention to Takuto. "When did she tell you that she went to the Sun Country?"

"She didn't," Takuto replied. "She left me in charge of the clan and said she was traveling to the Fire Country to see everyone. This was shortly after the Artifact War ended. She wanted to visit Taiga's grave."

Madara recalled that time. She had walked onto Uchiha territory carrying various clan treasures that Eijiro had entrusted to Taiga, who had left them to her. "I heard news of Ayuka's death a few days before she arrived."

"Ayuka wasn't dead when Mio left," Takuto said. "She went directly to the Sun Country! She lied to me! I thought she was just going to see you!"

"It was established that she lied," Madara pointed out, amazed with how scandalized the Kuronuma leader looked.

"Yes, but she doesn't lie to me! She lies to everyone else!"

"The only way we are going to know anything is by going to the Sun Country," Madara stated. "I can try to get more information out of her because I doubt this is the only thing she's kept from us."

"She's getting bad at lying," Yayoi remarked. "I think she knows exactly why her pathways are upside down. Did she take any other journeys around the continent without telling any of you?"

"She did travel a bit on her own," Takuto admitted, "but it was never out of the ordinary." He paused a moment. "Although, there was a time she disappeared for about three months. It was when she had business with Murakami Keigo. I asked her about it after, but I didn't exactly see it as odd because she sent me messages so often I felt I knew what she was doing. She was following a merchant route from the Iron Country to the Swamp Country."

"What's in the Swamp Country?" asked Izuna.

"Well, the Kuronuma clan was in conversation with the Swamp Country's daimyo about becoming permanent residents, in fact, we are still in talks about it," Takuto informed.

"Yeah, except Takuto's next meeting with the daimyo was pushed back because of Mio and Madara's ceremony," Nako added, to which Takuto agreed with a nod. "Onto her disappearance for three months, I was actually under the impression she had also come to the Fire Country to see Madara and Izuna, but I later found out that neither one of you was around because you were too busy killing the Kita clan."

"Oh that was fun," Izuna said with a proud smile.

"I don't remember a Kita clan," Yayoi said, bewildered.

"Neither does the rest of the world," Madara replied smugly. They had been a problematic group of shinobi that had met their demise against the Uchiha clan.

Izuna clapped him on the shoulder. "Exactly."

"Our grandmother would have mentioned if Mio had dropped by in our absence," Madara pointed out. "The only time she has shown up, she's been accompanied by someone."

"So, if Murakami Keigo is the only one with even a hint of a clue as to what Mio was up to during those three months, maybe we should be taking this to him," Yayoi suggested. "I mean, it'd be a waste not to considering he's in my yurt."

"Is he awake?" Madara asked.

"Yes, I left him eating."

"Go fetch him," Madara said.

Yayoi nodded, running out the door. "I'll be right back."

Madara decided to sit with the others while waiting for Yayoi. The priestess returned a few minutes later with a young man with messy black hair dressed in a plain robe.

"Keigo-kun, this is Uchiha Madara," Yayoi began, waving in his direction, then moving from person to person, "his brother, Izuna. That over there is Kuronuma Takuto and I remember you've already met Nako."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Murakami Keigo," he introduced politely, bowing. "I hope I can be some assistance to you."

Nako moved to retrieve a cushion for him to sit and set it down in front of them. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you, Nako-san." Keigo sat on the cushion with both hands on his lap.

"Do you want anything to drink?" asked Yayoi.

"No, thank you."

Madara stared at Keigo oddly.

"We just wanted to talk about when you met Mio," Takuto started.

"She brought me a letter from my father," Keigo answered. "She wanted to learn a little more about the merchant route that ran through my grandparents' village." He smiled kindly. "She even stayed for a few weeks when grandma asked if she could help us farm for the season."

The boy was extremely polite.

"How long did she stay with you exactly?" Izuna asked.

"It was three weeks, Izuna-san."

"Do you know where she was going after she left your grandparents' village?" asked Nako.

"I do believe she went home."

"That only accounts for three weeks," Takuto said, "but what about the two months?"

"Did something happen to Mio-san?" asked Keigo, worried.

"No, nothing happened to her," Nako replied. "We were just worried about something that might have happened in the past that she might be keeping from us."

"Have you tried asking her?" he asked innocently. "If you tell her how you feel, she might tell you whatever you think she is hiding."

Madara stood abruptly. "We should leave it alone for now. We have reason to invade the Sun Country." He turned to his brother. "Kill the Ishiki shinobi. Interrogating them won't be necessary."

"Okay," Izuna said, getting to his feet.

Madara exited.

Keigo forgot his sense of propriety when he rose from his seat and chased Madara outside. "Madara-san!"

He stopped and waited for the younger man to catch up. "Please forgive my bad manners," he said, bowing deeply. "I forgot to congratulate you on your wedding. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"Also, if it isn't too much to ask, could I please see Mio-san?" Keigo asked, his head lowered respectfully.

"You don't need to ask whether you can or not, see her whenever you want," Madara replied. "However, at the moment, I do think she is resting."

Keigo straightened up. "Okay, Madara-san," he said. "I will wait until she has woken to greet her."

Madara decided to return home to see if Mio had managed to fall asleep. However, after he arrived and searched their room, he found it empty. The only other places she could have gone were to the Climate Sphere or Saori's yurt. Given that he had walked past the Climate Sphere on his way to his home, he had opted to walk to the Kuronuma clan's encampment.

Akihiko and Takehiko were standing several feet away conversing when the former intercepted his path with a brittle smile on his face.

"Did something happen?" asked Madara.

"Saori-san woke up," Takehiko answered.

Akihiko nodded, adding quite happily, "She did. One of the Kuronumas fetched the Shugosha. She expelled us from the yurt, wishing to speak to Saori alone."

Madara walked on ahead, ready to step inside when he heard Saori's voice reach his ears. It was hoarse and strange, but hers. "I was surprised when Senju Tobirama asked after your health," she said, pausing. "I know you did some traveling within the last three years. Did something happen?"

His hands curled into fists, his mind quick to draw conclusions as he waited for Mio's defense.

"No," his wife said quietly. "Everything is fine."

"Mio," called Saori with some difficulty. "I am here. You can trust that I will keep your secrets if you ask it of me. So, tell me the truth if you cannot tell the others. If there is a heavy weight on your shoulders, you cannot bear it alone. Let me help you carry it with you." She breathed deeply. "That's what Guardians are for. To protect you as much as you protect us. Perhaps more. We all love you so much."

The two laughed lightly.

"So, tell me, Mio, is everything all right?"

Madara stood with his shoulders tensed in trepidation. He didn't move an inch, feeling that if he did, he would make his presence known.

"No," came Mio's wavering response. "It's not."

Saori sighed. "What did you do?"

"I didn't think I had a choice," Mio said, her tone tremulous as he imagined her body was as well. "I did the only thing I could think of."

Madara couldn't stand being outside after hearing that, knowing it had nothing to do with visiting Ayuka, and stepped inside the yurt. Saori was lying atop a bed of thick blankets with Mio sitting at her side, grasping her hand. The two turned at the sound of his entrance, Mio's eyes full of unshed tears while Saori's face molded into a difficult one for him to discern.

"It's good to see you awake, Saori," he said sincerely. He couldn't confront Mio. Not when she had looked at him that way, like he had unearthed a terrible truth that had no business seeing the light of day. He had felt her fear then, that's how tangible it had been. He didn't have the words to demand answers from her.

"I'll have to thank Takuto for saving me," Saori said, "and apologize to him because Takehiko-kun caused him so much trouble."

Madara approached her bedside, reaching to place a hand atop Mio's head. Looking down at her, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I worried your wife to tears," Saori responded. "She was so overjoyed to see me well."

"Everything is okay now," Madara said, feeling Mio's hand clasp his, the vibrant red of her bracelet dulled in the firelight. "Saori is fine."

She tightened her hold on his hand and nodded. "I'm so happy."

Saori smiled brightly at the two. "I am starting to understand something now that I was so near death."

Mio wiped the tears from her eyes after releasing his hand. "What?"

"I want to be an aunt," Saori finished. "Yuuka and Noe are precious, but I want to meet Shinra so badly and I'm sure they would appreciate a younger brother."

"They probably would," Madara said, humoring Saori aware she was joking.

"Then you have to promise not to die until you meet him," Mio said, surprising them. She'd normally go off on how she'd only be having daughters rather than admit that her firstborn was a son. "You have to promise to stay alive to spoil him rotten because Yayoi, Nako, Takuto, Izuna, Madara, and I can't do it on our own."

Saori laughed. "I promise."

It wasn't long before Takuto, Yayoi, Nako, and Izuna entered to join the reunion, the news traveling quickly. Yayoi and Nako were as emotional as Mio. Izuna and Takuto took seats on the other side of the bed.

And for a moment, there had been peace.

* * *

><p><strong>xl<strong>: Going through this I feel it reads a little filler-ish, but there are some important things in there. I mean, everyone knows Mio is hiding shit. Like, not even normal, "I'm just keeping this from you." Madara knows its fucking monumental.

It is.

Well, I think it is. You'll find out later. I'm dropping hints everywhere though.

But for now, I'm going to turn it over to you guys: **What do you think Mio is hiding? **Please tell me if you have any guesses or speculations?

I promise seriousness after the next chapter. There's going to be more action coming on.

Anyhoot, I want to thank these wonderful people for the reviews: **Loteva**, **FlameCore**, **SilverRider09**, **blob80**, and a special mention to **Anime93** for PMing! I think I got new favorites/follows recently, too, so thank you very much for adding this to your lists! I hope you are enjoying it!

Thank you for reading! :)


	7. The Last Guardians

Chapter **06** | The Last Guardians

* * *

><p>Mio, Yayoi, and Nako gathered around Saori after the Amamori brothers had been booted out for having been rude to Takuto. Saori had demanded they apologize, Takehiko in particular, and they had, but she had decided not to entertain them that morning in favor of seeing her friends.<p>

Mio needed to be surrounded by light conversation because her mind had been in chaos since Saori's accident. Being with her and knowing she was recovering made her anxiety ebb, but other worries rose to take its place. She worried about what Amamori Akihiko had said about the Ishiki clan being allied with Mikazuki Rikuto, but she didn't want to think about it. She'd already been yelled at by Madara for not believing it to be a possibility, but she'd had a gut feeling that assured her he had nothing to do with it. Intuition was not proof enough.

"So, what is the deal with those two idiots?" asked Yayoi, referring to Akihiko and Takehiko.

"Akihiko is the man I was telling you about," Saori answered, her voice raspy. "He asked me to marry him about three months ago."

"Oh, right," Nako said. "You told him you didn't think you loved him and broke his heart."

"Obviously not well enough if he's here. He and his brother have caused nothing but trouble," Yayoi stated.

"I saw you staring quite fondly at Takehiko," Saori teased, smiling.

Yayoi's face turned a deep scarlet. "What? No!"

"Did you forget even Mio said she would disown you?" Nako reminded. "You're practically undressing him with your eyes every time he passes in front of you, just marry him already."

"Shut up, Nako!"

Saori smiled at Mio, who mirrored the gesture.

"It's the truth!"

"We're not talking about me, we're talking about Saori!" Yayoi snapped, then turned to Saori. "I remember Sachiyo mentioning you also got a proposal from a member of the Sarutobi clan as well."

"Yes, but I haven't decided who would be a better match," Saori admitted. "I would also like to give myself a chance to fall in love with one of them, but…"

"Well, you should just enjoy the flattery and have fun with them for a bit," Yayoi suggested. "You should take a chance with other men, too. It wouldn't kill you."

"Well, I've already had my fair share of experience with men, so I think I'm good," Saori replied, surprising them. She laughed a little softly.

"Doing what?" Yayoi blurted. "Knit?"

"What makes you say that?" asked Saori, thoroughly confused.

"I'm sorry to say, but when I look at you, I don't exactly imagine you doing anything improper," Nako responded.

It was true.

"Oh? Thank you."

"Okay, spill it," Yayoi said. "I can't imagine anything you say is true, but I need someone to shatter the current image I have of you."

"What image is that?"

"Of some pathetic woman hopelessly in love with Izuna."

"Yayoi!" Mio chastised.

"It's not like I'm lying," the priestess continued. "I remember that stupid face she'd make whenever Izuna was walking by. He was just so completely oblivious to her. It was literally painful to watch."

"I imagine it was," said Saori, grinning fondly. "I had to tell him how I felt for him to realize it."

"You told him?" asked Nako. "And then what happened?"

"Well, I was rejected," Saori answered, then looked at Mio. "He has been in love with you for quite some time."

"I'm sorry," Mio said. She couldn't think of anything better to say in response to that and she didn't want to stay silent.

"There's no need to apologize," Saori said dismissively. "His rejection helped me move on. I eventually realized I wasn't as in love with him as I thought I was. One day, it just felt like I woke up from a really long dream and it was very bittersweet."

"Is that when your conquests began?" Yayoi asked with keen interest.

"You can say," Saori replied. "I finally took my eyes off Izuna and noticed there were some eyes on me. It was nice."

"And you went onto sample these men with these looks?" asked Nako excitedly.

Saori chuckled. "You could say I did."

"You need to say more than that," Yayoi told her.

"Why? I'm certain you have a lot of experience with men, you don't need any of my advice," Saori said. "I believe you have this handled."

"I don't have that much experience!" Yayoi admitted. "Nobody I like ever likes me back!"

"I'm pretty sure Taiga liked you back. I saw the way he kissed you, I had to cover Tobirama's eyes, he just wasn't ready for that sort of action," Nako recalled. "Too much love."

Mio looked at Nako and sighed, seeing the Uzumaki shrug in response and say, "What? It's been three years."

"You know, Taiga was very hard to read," Yayoi said pensively. "I don't think it's right to assume anything from a kiss."

"The sentiment was there," Mio said. "He wouldn't have entrusted your safety to me had that not been the case."

Yayoi slouched. "Can I just say that I am very disappointed with life and its proclivity for killing every man I've ever loved? Remember Katsura? I loved him."

"Wasn't he married?" asked Mio. Katsura had been one of Madara's father's most trusted shinobi.

"Yes, and he's dead now. And remember that one man I was seeing a year ago. The one Madara killed?"

"He was a spy, Yayoi, he was trying to get information out of you about the Uchiha clan," Mio reasoned. Yayoi had been inconsolable when he had turned up dead even though it had been proven that he had only approached her to gain information.

"I have no luck," Yayoi ranted. "Worst of it all is that Takuto is too young."

"I thought you were sleeping with him," Saori said, quick to add, "in every sense of the word."

"No, we tried it once—"

"What?" Nako and Saori cried simultaneously.

Yayoi seemed unfazed by their reactions as she casually flicked her hair over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago," she said, her eyes falling on Mio. "Why aren't you shocked?"

"Takuto tells me everything."

"What did he tell you?" asked the priestess, alarmed. "Did he give you the dirty details of our attempt? Oh no! What did he say about my body?"

"Nothing," she said calmly. "He only said you both tried it. Once. Or twice. Maybe three times."

"Anything else?"

Mio shook her head.

"Moving on, now that it's established that Saori is the queen of the futon and that every person I love dies, Nako, what do you have to offer this conversation?" Yayoi asked, looking at the woman in question directly.

"Why do I have to go first? What about Mio?" Nako protested.

"Well, Mio's the only one that's been married here. First to that psychopath and nobody needs to be reliving those demons, and now to Madara," Yayoi explained. "And we would be fooling ourselves if she told us anything about Madara."

"It's not that interesting to talk about," Mio said in her defense.

"Please, Mio, please deny that you and Madara are having a lot of intimacy in that house," Yayoi said sarcastically. "Please, tell me you're not doing any of those evil deeds together. Tell me!"

"We aren't," Mio said honestly.

"But you have that whole house to yourself," Nako said.

"What have you been doing?" asked Saori, worried.

"Well, I did spend several days feeling down," Mio answered.

"Oh no! Did he get drunk again?" Yayoi started, scandalized. "Did he take you while he was inebriated? Mio, you need to do something about this! It's a terrible habit!"

"You're misunderstanding, I was down because of what happened," Mio said quickly. "I was worried for Saori and he respected that."

"I'm sorry for making you worry so much that you have not been able to enjoy your time alone together," Saori said apologetically.

"That's not important," Mio assured. "I'm happy that you are recovering."

"Yes, so don't let my health burden you any further. Takuto and Yayoi have been taking good care of me," Saori said, smiling. "You should enjoy your new husband."

Mio nodded. "We will try to enjoy our time alone."

"Doing?" Yayoi asked, grinning.

"Playing Hanafuda, I believe. He owes me a game."

"Why are you two so boring?" asked Yayoi. "You have the potential to be so much more than that lame couple that spends their mornings playing Hanafuda. You should be in there showing him what heaven looks like and he should be introducing you to all the pleasures in life."

"Yayoi, stop, it's like you're talking about my parents," Nako said, grossed out.

"I am sure Madara does his duty and keeps Mio pleased," Saori said, chuckling when Mio's face started to redden.

"I bet you just sleep through the night," Yayoi complained.

"We have to wake up early every day," Mio reasoned.

"You two seriously need to get started on all those daughters you promised Sachiyo," Yayoi said. "You're not going to get anywhere sleeping through the night."

"Oh, right? So, when do you plan to have Shinra?" asked Saori kindly.

"When I have some guarantee that he's going to be a girl," Mio responded.

"And when is that?" asked Nako.

"I have no idea yet."

"Oh well, no rush," Yayoi said. "You've agreed to come to the Sun Country, right?"

"Has Madara found a way to travel there safely?" asked Saori.

"He has a plan, but it depends on whether or not Mio will agree to it," Yayoi replied.

"He said he would tell me once Arata returns this afternoon," Mio said, getting to her feet. "You'll have to excuse me, but I have to make sure Keigo isn't getting in trouble."

She bid farewell to them all and left to find the boy.

Keigo was sitting alone with a bowl of stew in front of a campfire within the encampment. He was blowing cold air on the steaming soup when Mio came to stand in his periphery. The boy stared up at her with amazement in his green eyes.

"Mio-san! Good morning!"

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Keigo slid closer to the edge of the log where he was seated to make room for her to sit. Once she did, she leaned forward, close enough to feel the heat of the flames reach her.

"Would you like some?" he asked, raising his bowl in her direction. "I just made it."

"No, I already ate."

Keigo took a tentative sip of his soup, searching the area with his eyes. "Your husband and your Guardians were asking about what you were doing visiting my grandparents' village a year ago."

"I imagined," Mio said. Madara had been acting strangely, which meant he had his suspicions.

"You haven't told anyone?"

"I almost have, several times, but"—she paused—"the time is never right." She didn't know how she would talk about the events of that trip. She'd pieced a few things together, bits that made sense and discarded the ones that didn't. It'd explain everything, but she didn't think anyone was ready to understand that she had taken the risk she thought necessary to achieve her goal.

She'd done nothing but heal after that.

Nothing had been fixed and nothing had been determined. She only had her secrets. That had been the only thing that piled on.

She wanted to confide in her Guardians, but she predicted they would disagree with her decision. She didn't want to put a damper on their lives by giving them something to worry over. It was enough that she had one Guardian asking after her, knowing what she did, she couldn't imagine the others.

"Soup is good," Keigo said. "It's pork."

"Thank you for lying."

"Well, I don't want to get on your bad side."

"I don't have a bad side."

"That's a funny joke, Mio-san."

Mio set her hand on his shoulder and stood. "I will be going to the Sun Country with Madara and I want you to accompany me."

"Yes, ma'am." Keigo took another gulp of his broth. "So, does that mean I can be a Guardian now?"

"No," she said immediately.

"Why not?" cried Keigo, the soup in his bowl sloshing.

"Your father would kill me."

"So?"

Mio glared at him. "So?"

Keigo tensed. "And that would be very unfortunate, forget I asked," he said nervously. "But I'm not going to give up asking! You have extra artifacts!"

"None for you."

"That's not fair, Mio-san!" Keigo chased her down. "Mio-san! You have to say yes!"

She ignored him, quickening her steps, but Keigo jumped her, dropping her flat on her face over the snow. She lifted her face, her nose dripping blood. The ruby droplets sizzled as they hit the ice-cold snow beneath her, melting holes into it.

Keigo peered over her shoulder. "Mio-san, ple—oh, hey, why is your nose bleeding? Are you having perverted thoughts? Isn't it too early? You know, it doesn't matter, you can do what you want, so you should go find Madara-san and jump his bones—"

Mio grabbed a handful of snow and smeared it across his face, silencing him. He fell on her side coughing out the snow she managed to shove into his mouth.

"Mio-san!" he complained between coughs. "That was cold! My head is cold! My face is numb!"

She heard the sound of snow crunching under someone's feet and lifted her eyes to meet Madara's while Keigo was swaying back and forth on his back with his hands covering his face.

"Why are you on the ground?" asked Madara, eyes narrowing in silent judgment. She could only imagine how ridiculous she and Keigo looked on the ground. "And why is your nose bleeding?"

"Oh, Madara-san, you don't have to worry about her nose," said Keigo, polite and obviously cheerful, "She was having perverted thoughts about you and felt she needed to cool down."

Mio took another handful of snow and threw it at Keigo's face, making him whine.

"I just got that out of my mouth!" he cried.

She scrambled onto her feet, seizing hold of Madara's arm when he jerked away suddenly. His face was red.

"Madara?"

"Do what you will," he said bluntly, leaving them.

Mio stood there stunned. What happened? She didn't understand. She was going to explain and then his face was red. She didn't get a chance to say that Keigo was lying and that she wasn't having inappropriate thoughts because it was too early for them and she wouldn't be able to act out on them, but she couldn't because he practically stormed away.

"Madara!" she shouted, choosing to go after him.

Keigo burst out laughing behind her.

* * *

><p>Madara ushered everyone inside the sitting room to continue what sounded like a private discussion. She had learned that he had approached her earlier to inform her that Arata had returned from his scouting mission, but he had suggested she go rest instead of accompanying him to debrief the young spy. So, she had done that.<p>

She had not expected for Madara, Izuna, Arata, Jouji, and Yayoi to show up while she had been sitting at peace sharpening the Vision Sphere's blade. She tried to make herself scarce as none of them had made a move to acknowledge her any further than a passing glance, as they had been so engrossed in their conversation on the way in that they must have stumbled across the one sitting room that had been in use inside Sachiyo's gigantic house. She pretended to be oblivious, focusing completely on her current task, but she caught snippets about a lord, some land, and a shinobi clan attempting to invade.

"We need a woman," Arata suggested, rather stiffly.

Mio tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, conscious of the silence that fell. She lifted her eyes catching everyone in the room staring at her.

"What?"

"Would you be opposed to a small infiltration mission?" Izuna questioned, giving her a pleading look that she'd be stupid to ignore.

"Do you have other plans other than invade the Sun Country?" asked Mio, curious.

"It is very minor," Madara dismissed, "so we wanted to get it out of the way before going to the Sun Country."

She didn't like the way everyone seemed to be on edge.

"Okay," she said, watching the small group suspiciously. "Well, what would this small infiltration mission entail?" She paid particular attention to Yayoi, who sat at Madara's left. If there was anything she needed to learn, the priestess would give it away, but Yayoi avoided her eyes. "And why did no one suggest Yayoi if you need a woman?"

Yayoi frowned. "What gall you have?" She scoffed, gaze glued to the floor. "You would have a lady like me take on this sort of mission? It would be disgraceful!"

No. She would never have the dainty priestess go anywhere near a serious mission.

"I hope you are aware that there are dozens of capable women within your clan that are as much a woman as I am," Mio said pointedly, facing Madara, who inclined his head as if in confirmation of her observation. "So, if you are aware, why is it that when Arata suggested a woman everyone immediately fell silent and turned to me?"

"Simple, they are not you," Madara answered. "You are guaranteed to see the job completed to the utmost perfection."

Mio sheathed the dagger in her hands and expelled a breath. She started to understand the stakes of the infiltration mission. "This involves a man, does it not?"

"A tyrannical one," Arata said in immediate agreement.

"The absolute worst kind of man," Izuna added, nodding his head.

"That poses a threat to the Uchiha," Madara said, attempting to keep the serious atmosphere afloat.

"And has a proclivity for beautiful and talented women," Yayoi finished, cheery. "Seeing as you are a beautiful and talented woman, you are the ideal choice."

She wasn't interested in infiltration missions. They needed to hurry and clear Mikazuki Rikuto's name and remove the remaining members of the Motou clan from the Sun Country.

"Doing this mission could prove beneficial to you," Jouji began. "Seeing as you are not the most beloved person among a great portion of the clan, it might help ease your bad reputation."

Mio grimaced, gathering her things and stood abruptly. That struck a nerve. "I know what you are doing," she retorted, "and I am not here to please anyone that disapproves of me, nor do I see reason to prove myself worthy of them."

She stormed out of the room, throwing her small whetstone and Vision Sphere into the bag where she kept them. She understood they meant to help, but she didn't care if the Uchiha clan approved of her relationship with Madara. She married him, not the entire clan.

"Too much!" Izuna yelled. "That was too much Jouji-san!"

"Mio! Wait!"

Madara caught up to her quickly, taking her by the wrist and turning her around. "This is about the Sun Country!"

"What?"

"Eishirou is the only lord with known connections to the Sun Country, but thanks to Izuna, he hates the Uchiha clan and wants nothing to do with us," Madara explained.

"Yes, thanks to me!" Izuna shouted from the doorway. "You should all be thankful."

"That's nothing to be proud of, you idiot," snapped Yayoi.

"The good thing is that he's a pervert," retorted Izuna. "That's our key."

"And you want me to seduce this pervert?" Mio asked, completely baffled by the request. "You? You've killed men that looked at me wrong."

"We covered that! He promised not to kill anyone!" Izuna shouted.

"I won't," Madara assured. "I promise."

Mio saw his honesty and sighed. "I'll listen to the plan, but I have not agreed to infiltrate anything."

"That's fine."

Mio returned to the sitting room, retaking her seat. "So, what do we know about this man?"

"His name is Eishirou and he's the lord of a coastal province in the Lightning Country," Jouji explained. "He gains most of his capital by mediating a trade system between the Lightning Country and several small islands off its coast. He's not well liked among his peers for his bad personality, but nobody wishes to upset him either as he seems to hold a lot of power within the country."

"Why do you need me?" asked Mio.

"Eishirou frequents a pleasure house called The Thousand Cranes," Arata began, unable to keep his eyes on her. "And…"

"He picks out a girl, takes her back to the castle, and keeps her there until he gets bored of her," Izuna finished. "We need you to be that girl."

"Because you are certain he will pick me?" Mio challenged.

"We attempt to work at an angle where he's weakest. He enjoys a challenge and has no respect for other people's authority," Jouji said. "Izuna angered him greatly some time ago and we believe that if Eishirou believed you were his woman, he would take a special interest in you."

"That only guarantees that he will want to sleep with me in the pleasure house to rub it in Izuna's face, not that he will be so fond of me that he would take me away to his castle."

"We thought we should leave that up to your charm," Yayoi said. "Hoping that you have enough to tempt him."

"Let's say that works," Mio said, deciding to humor their idea. "What do you want me to do? Am I supposed to search for confirmation that he has connections with the Sun Country?"

"No, we know he has connections to the Sun Country. We only need you to distract him long enough for us to seize his castle," Madara replied. "We won't leave until he agrees to take us to the Sun Country."

If she had to admit, the job didn't seem difficult. Going through with the mission to invade the Sun Country would be beneficial to her in that it would ultimately distract Madara from asking all the question he wanted answers to, which she wanted to continue to avoid. It would also guarantee their safe passage to the Sun Country if they take hold of his castle in a way that doesn't rouse suspicion.

"I'll do it," she decided, seeing everyone breathe and look at one another excited that she had, "but you best have a good plan to get me inside that pleasure house."

"I thought I could just leave you there," Izuna said, shrugging.

"That would be too suspicious."

"I will think of a plan," Jouji assured.

"And there will be no unnecessary killing," Mio said, looking directly at Madara. "We don't need to face any consequences for having played a role in the death of a lord."

"I won't kill him," Madara repeated, earning dubious looks from everyone else. "I won't!"

"Good." Jouji got to his feet and inclined his head respectfully in her direction. "I shall enjoy working with you once more, Mio."

"I'll be in your care," Mio replied.

"Arata, let's go. We have work to do."

Arata bowed and exited after Jouji.

"Now, Madara and I have a sparring match to get to, so, we'll be leaving you," Izuna said, standing. "Shall we go, brother?"

"I'll see you for dinner, Mio," Madara said, getting to his feet and following Izuna out of the house.

Yayoi crawled over to Mio and hugged her. "Thank you for doing this for me."

Mio nodded, patting her shoulder gently.

"After so long," the priestess started, drawing back to look at her directly, "it feels a little surreal that I could be able to go back to the Sun Country. It feels like I haven't been there for many decades…" She smiled lightly. "I try to imagine it in my head, but nothing comes up. That's how long I feel it's been."

"Are you sure you want to be going?" asked Mio, worried that whatever lay in wait for them in the Sun Country. The reason she was safe before was because Ayuka welcomed her and Rikuto defended her against everyone. She wouldn't find the same courtesy extended to her a second time, not with the circumstances with which they would be visiting the Sun Country. "It will be dangerous."

"I have to go," stressed Yayoi. "There is no way I cannot go. I felt terrible that Ikki and I were separated that day, that I couldn't take him out of the Sun Country and that I let Ayuka use him against me. "

"Then you will be reunited," assured Mio. "I will make sure of it."

Yayoi hugged her again, squeezing her tightly. "Thank you, Mio."

"You don't have to thank me until you are with your brother again."

* * *

><p>Mio stepped into the first room to her right after entering the Uchiha clan's compound where Madara, Izuna, and Jouji were waiting. She joined the three men at the small round table, knowing the time had arrived to learn whatever plan Jouji devised to have her successfully infiltrate The Thousand Cranes, the pleasure house Lord Eishirou frequented.<p>

"Would you like tea?" asked Jouji, gesturing to the teapot in the table's center.

She refused gently. "So, what do you have planned?"

"Arata was lucky to find that the pleasure house has a bit of a history in buying girls from a sleazy merchant—"

"I don't have to seduce him, do I?" interrupted Mio, looking from Jouji's face to Izuna's and Madara's, aware that they were avoiding eye contact. "Madara!"

"No," Madara said quickly, "you don't. Eishirou is enough."

"We considered it," Izuna added.

Jouji shrugged in response, pushing his glasses up. "We were thinking it would be best for us to intercept this man on his upcoming trip to The Thousand Cranes. We could easily knock him out cold. I would take his place with a Transformation Jutsu and deliver you as merchandise to the establishment. The problem would be convincing them that you are a profitable purchase. They won't take just any girl into the pleasure house."

"You can leave that to me," said Mio, "but you will have to play your part in that as I tell you, else we might have to find a different way to enter the pleasure house."

Jouji nodded. "Then, I leave it in your hands. Once, you're in it will be up to Izuna to become your patron."

Izuna grinned. "I'll show up in a day or two and buy you for the rest of the week." He turned to Madara. "This place is expensive—"

"How do you know?" asked Madara, arching an eyebrow.

"I _heard _this place is expensive," Izuna correct. "We are going to need a lot of money."

"Is that where you and your team have been wasting your money? Have you been throwing it at pleasure houses?" demanded Madara.

"No! I was chaperoning them, well, mostly!" Izuna admitted, looking to everyone staring back at him blankly. "I mean, this was a long time ago! Like years ago! I don't do this anymore—"

"This is his private life," said Mio in his defense.

"We don't have the luxury of throwing away the payment we receive!" snapped Madara.

"I wasn't throwing it away, it was those guy—"

Jouji turned his complete attention to Mio. "We don't have much time to waste. The merchant is currently on the way to the Lightning Country to present his most recent crop. Eishirou is overdue a visit as well, so the time to strike is now."

Madara and Izuna continued arguing with one another in the background, but it no longer had any relevance to Izuna's excessive spending. She tuned them out, devoting herself to the current task.

"When do you suppose is the best time to leave?" asked Mio.

"In a day or two, that way we would have ample opportunity to ambush him. Madara is also going to need plenty of time to move several shinobi into the coastal provinces without drawing attention from any occupying shinobi clans. We also need a method to communicate once you've infiltrated Eishirou's castle." Jouji scratched at his chin. "If we had the time, we could have planned this more thoroughly, but…"

"We can't waste any more time," finished Mio. "The faster we make it into the Sun Country, the faster we can help the remnants of the Motou clan, and prove that the Mikazuki clan has no affiliation with the Ishiki clan."

"Have you decided on what to do about the Ishiki clan?" asked Jouji.

"Takuto agreed to take shinobi to find their village and is currently in talks with Akihiko about requesting the aid of the Amamori clan," answered Mio. Ultimately, Takuto agreed that if they sat back and did nothing, they would continue to be targeted. Others would think it would be quite simple to attack them, to steal the artifacts, knowing the Kuronuma clan was to pacifistic to do anything in retaliation. After Saori, how terribly frightening that had been to endure for all of them, they couldn't afford staying put. For that reason, Mio agreed to help them gain access into the Sun Country. She wanted to prove the information the Ishiki clan used to get to her Guardians and their artifacts did not come from Mikazuki Rikuto. "You should start making all preparations necessary to leave within a day."

Mio rose from her seat and walked up to Madara, placing her hand on his shoulder, silencing him. Izuna quieted as well, his eyes lifting to meet her face.

"I'm going to borrow him for a bit," Mio told him. "You can resume arguing once we're speaking."

Madara watched Jouji exit the room. "Where's Jouji going?"

"I asked him to make preparations to start this mission," she informed. "We're leaving in a day." She smiled at Izuna. "Would you mind helping with Madara's end of preparations in his absence?"

Izuna nodded.

"Let's go, Madara."

Mio walked to the door where she waited for Madara to come up beside her. Izuna left his seat as well, pushing apart the doors on the opposite side to take the back exit.

"You know who to gather," Madara said in parting, stepping out after Mio.

"I got it," Izuna called back.

Mio was halfway to Sachiyo's house when Madara matched her stride. "What are we going to do?"

"Preparing for the mission," she answered. "I need help."

Mio led him inside the house and waited for him to slide the shoji screen shut. She took his hand and pulled him close, reaching to touch his face with her free hand. She held his gaze, watching his eyes narrow, perhaps in recognition of the emotion in hers.

"This is preparation?" he asked lowly, his fingers twining with hers.

"We won't have the time to be together like this for a long time," she said, guiding him to her lips, "and I want you."

She pressed her mouth against his, parting her lips to teasingly nip at his lower lip. Madara's hands came up to the nape of her neck, his fingers twisting through her hair, and he closed the small distance between their bodies. He slanted his lips and deepened the kiss, making her body strum with excitement.

He broke the kiss, lingering close to her lips. "We should go upstairs," he said, leaning forward to loop an arm under her backside. He hoisted her body onto his shoulder.

Madara took her up the stairs to their room where he pulled out a futon from the closet that he messily threw across the ground. He set her down on her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning forward to kiss her firmly. He guided her back and laid her down atop the bedding, not breaking their kiss.

Mio grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, jerked him forward, and flipped their positions, straddling his waist. She pinned him down and resumed the kiss her actions had disturbed while unknotting her sash. She felt his hands join hers as their mouths molded to one another, their tongues meeting with slow, teasing strokes that made her skin warm and prickle.

They were fumbling to remove her sash, but their joint efforts only tightened the knot that held it all together. The frustration of finding themselves unable to release the knot broke their kiss as she straightened only to be jerked forward by Madara's tugging.

"I'm ripping it," he threatened.

"No!" she objected, pushing his hands away. "Stop pulling at it, you're only making the knot tighter."

"You were the one that started pulling at it first," he retorted.

"I said stop pulling at it! I'm trying to undo it!" The knot was tight and difficult to pick apart. She struggled more because Madara kept trying to help her with it and grew more and more frustrated. "Madara!"

"Here, stop. I have an idea," he said, pushing her onto his lap as he sat upright. "Squeeze out of it, you can unknot it later."

She stared at him exasperated. It was wrapped around her waist tightly. "I can't squeeze out of it."

He kissed her face.

"Give me a second."

"Just rip it," he suggested gently, pressing his lips to her ear. He moved his mouth down, opening it against her neck and sucked on her skin. His hands ran down her sides and slid under her clothes to tug at her trousers. She squirmed when his cold fingers brushed against her skin.

"Madara, wait, let me unknot this," she complained.

"Untie it," he said huskily against her neck, pulling her pants and undergarments down to expose her ass. "Lie back."

"But—"

"Focus on untying it."

Mio abandoned her task to lie on her back and set both of her feet down to his right.

"Lift your hips," Madara said, grabbing hold of the top of her pants. "Keep trying to unknot that."

She raised her hips and allowed him to strip her bottom half naked, throwing her trousers to the other side of the room. She kept her knees closed as she wrestled with her knotted sash, trying to hurry with the process because she didn't want to let Madara do whatever he wanted until she succeeded.

"Do your best," Madara encouraged, offering her a devilish smile.

Mio picked at the tight knot as he parted her knees, leaning forward to press an open-mouthed kiss on her thigh, his warm tongue searing against her skin. He continued kissing further down, distracting her from her task. She grabbed a handful of her shirt's fabric and watched his head dip lower as he drew a line to her inner thigh with his tongue. A shudder pulsed through her and she made a tremulous noise in protest when she tried to call for him, her head starting to grow hazy.

He lifted his eyes up, black and smoldering. She tightened her grip on her shirt, biting down on her lip when his teeth scraped lightly over her inner thigh, moving teasingly slow.

"Don't slack," Madara murmured, his cold fingers firm against her thighs. "Focus."

"I can't." She gasped when his teeth briefly sank into her thigh. He kissed and sucked on the tender flesh. Her body quaked and her back arched. "M-Madara."

She heard him chuckle, his mouth sucking the soft skin of her inner thighs and his hands moved to cares her hips.

Mio whimpered, her hands balling into fists. "Don't..ngh…don't leave marks."

He met her eyes briefly, the amusement clear in them.

"Madara," she mewled, her breath hitched. Madara spread her lips and pressed his tongue flat against her sensitive flesh, making her shiver. She wasn't paying attention to her sash any longer; her gaze was steady on his actions, watching him as he moved his tongue in slow, agonizing circles. He pressed wet kisses against the tender flesh between her legs, spreading her swollen lips to taste her directly. She felt the tension in her muscles dissolve with every long stroke she felt across her slit.

His thumb gently brushed her clit, the slight touch made her body stiffen with a wave of pleasure, eliciting a loud moan. His tongue delved inside her and she pushed against him. He used his other hand to press a finger through her slick folds, moving it slowly as he lifted his mouth to the throbbing nub above her entrance. He avoided touching it directly, instead he stroked the area around it with his tongue.

He continued fingering her, dipping one inside before adding another. She moved her hips to match the thrust of his fingers, a dozen little knots tightening as her pleasure started taking control of her. He sucked lightly on the little nub and a moan escaped her. She reached, grabbing a handful of his shirt. Oh, she was close. A little more and she would—

"Yes," she breathed.

Madara kept to the steady rhythm and her voice grew louder, the pleasure rippled through her, curling her toes and arching her back. She writhed, the tremors that took hold of her prickled her skin, and she urged him to keep going until she felt sweet release pulsing through her. She continued to moan, still feeling his tongue lapping at her sensitive flesh.

She didn't think to speak, let alone move. Her body quaked in the aftermath of her orgasm. The sweat that beaded her forehead slithered down the side of her head. Her remaining clothes were too stuffy.

Mio tugged the two layers out from underneath her sash and removed them as Madara rose on his haunches, licking his lips. She could see his erection pushing against his pants and she shuddered in anticipation. She wanted to feel it thrusting in and out of her. She tossed her clothes aside and ripped her sash off, no longer interested in preserving it.

Madara smirked. He pulled his shirt off, throwing it atop the pile of her clothes and pushed his trousers down, exposing his erection, the tip beaded with precum. He didn't offer her the time to admire it as he slid his hands underneath her knees and dragged her closer. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, staring into her eyes. She could read the emotion in them and her skin flushed.

He guided himself inside of her, spreading her apart slowly, feeding it to her inch by inch. She shifted underneath him, splaying her hands across his back, feeling his muscles taut beneath her fingertips as he burrowed deep in her.

Mio raised her head to kiss him, the way his lips moved against hers was intense, and his tongue rolled over hers in a tantalizing dance. He raked his fingers through her hair, gripping the strands at the base of her neck when he began to move, thrusting shallowly. She moaned. Her body was too sensitive. The slower he moved, the more it stirred her up. He lowered his lips to the corner of hers, brushing them against the side of her face.

She listened to his uneven breathing, burying her fingers into his back, touching it she felt the way his muscles tightened with every measured plunge and the sleek layer of perspiration starting to form on the surface of his skin. His buried his face in her neck, tightened his grip on her hair, pulling enough to make the back of her head throb. She closed her eyes, groaning when she felt his other hand slip between their bodies, fingers inching between her legs. She knew he wanted to press against the small nub above her slit as he quickened his rhythm, but it was too soon. She didn't want any more pleasure. It would be too much. She wouldn't last long when it was still throbbing from his earlier attentions.

"No," she panted, "don—" She felt a jolt of electricity crackle through her. She let out a loud cry, eyes opening wide. "Mada—" She couldn't form words as he applied the slightest bit of pressure, her body arching into his, molding against his powerful frame. She bit her lips to keep herself from screaming, digging her nails into his shoulders as her lower body accumulated heat and her insides clenched around his hardened length. "Nghh!"

She heard a deep grumble from Madara's throat. "Fuck."

Mio sobbed with pleasure, her legs were weak and quivering beyond her control. He continued drawing deliberate circles around her clit, brushing against it every so often to elicit louder cries and plunging into her with his throbbing cock, working her to a fever pitch.

"Madara—"

She inhaled sharply and stared up at the ceiling, her eyes blurred with tears. She didn't feel she possessed any control over her body. No, she lost that a while ago. She transformed into the receptor of Madara's desire and she sensed in his actions, his movements, and his expressions that his passion could very well be bottomless. She'd gladly let him have her as many times as it took to satisfy him because as things were, she expected it would be about the same amount as her own gratification.

She stopped fighting the overbearing pleasure. She gave into it and it felt like falling, falling endlessly. Her insides began to spasm around his cock. She whimpered, body overcome with satisfying shudders. Her breathing was uneven, chest rising and falling quickly. Her Time Sphere sat beside her head, having rolled off her torso where she last saw it's glow brighten when the light hit it, the black cord draped loosely over her neck.

Madara withdrew himself from her with a wet sound; her kissed her lips chastely and brushed her hair away from her forehead. "I'm close," he husked. "Ride me."

He sat back to strip off his pants and reached to pull her onto his lap by her elbows. She lifted up her body, taking hold of his slick cock, and pressed the head against her slit. She sank down onto it, taking him in to the hilt. She was stunned to silence, the new position allowed him to penetrate her deeper and it took her a moment to adjust.

His hand slid down her waist to her hips and moved his own upward, pushing further inside her. Her own groan startled her. She draped her arms over his shoulders and started to rock on top of him. New sensations mingled with the shudders still running through her from her last orgasm, intensifying her movements even more.

She could move in a way that stimulated her clit and the built up to her next climax seemed imminent. She was hypersensitive. Even a ghostly caress had the power of making her writhe and cry out.

Madara covered her breasts with his hands, massaging them and rolling her nipples between his fingers. She groaned, leaning back to undulate her hips. He moved forward, using one hand to push one of her breasts up to take her nipple into his mouth, sucking hard against it, and the other to pinch at the other. The tingling in her body made the sensations that much more intense, his tongue tracing a circle around her nipple felt ten times more pleasurable than if he would have started there. His teeth scraped over it, making her body quiver and her voice betray her, before releasing it to pay the same attention to the her other, though not for long. He lifted his face to kiss her, but as his lips were so close she could feel his breath caress her own, he cursed lowly and groaned her name. His hands went to her hips, pushing her down harder against him.

Mio inhaled sharply. His rigid cock pulsed inside her and she held onto him tightly, drawing her closer to her into an intimate embrace. His breathing hitched, his body shuddered and he crushed her body against his. He dug his fingers into her hips, alerting her in that split second that he was coming before he did. She slowed down, riding him at a deliberate pace, elongating his pleasure as he filled her with new heat until she started to squirm in the wake of her next climax. He moved his hips underneath her to ride out the waves of their joint gratification.

Madara kissed her hard, releasing her mouth as the last spurts of his orgasm filled her. She slumped against him, resting her chin against his shoulder. She slid her arms underneath his and rested them on his sweat-slicked back. She closed her eyes. His breathing eased, matching her own.

He reached for something behind her, but kept his arm around her, moving her as he did. He unfolded the soft blanket and wrapped it around their bodies, needing her help to secure it across his back.

Mio admitted it was stuffy to be covered in a blanket, but she didn't mind it in the current circumstances. She enjoyed being close to him. She was aware they wouldn't have another opportunity to do any of these things because they would be going to the Sun Country and there was no telling what they were going up against. It could be more dangerous than they anticipated.

"Madara?"

"Hm?"

"If undertaking this mission bothers you, I won't do it," she said, moving back to look at him. "We can ask someone else to help. I don't want you to be uncomfortable knowing that I am seducing a man."

"Do you feel uncomfortable doing it?" he asked, eyebrows knitting.

"No, I don't," she assured, lowering her eyes briefly, ears burning with embarrassment. "I just wanted you to know that I don't want any other man to touch me this way, only you."

"Good, you're the only woman I want."

She smiled.

"But if you have any doubts about the mission, let me know."

"I will."

Mio returned her head to his shoulder and closed her eyes again.

"We should probably clean up and help the others make preparations," suggested Madara.

"Not yet." She yawned, the exhaustion taking her by surprise. "I want to stay here."

He obliged her.

"You ripped it after all," he pointed out, lacing his fingers together behind her lower back. His eyes flickered towards the torn sash lying with their clothes.

Mio murmured a complaint and left his lap, stealing the blanket from him and wrapping it around her tightly. She would have to explain the ripped sash to Yayoi, as she had borrowed it from her a few days ago because its beautiful plum color looked striking against her white clothes. Yayoi practically shoved it on her that morning and explained her actions by saying that that was what friends did, they borrowed each other's clothes.

She was so embarrassed. How would she explain it ripped?

Madara crawled over her, wrapping an arm around her, his weight bearing down on her side. "I can get you a new one."

"It was Yayoi's."

"We need to get her jewelry."

"Expensive?"

"Very expensive. She needs to forget that sash existed."

Mio laughed.

He jerked at the blanket, trying to pull it off her. "Let me inside. The room's too cold."

She pulled apart the thick blanket, letting him slip in beside her. He shuddered against her, his body cold, and closed his eyes.

Mio watched his face smooth out save the deep creases underneath his eyes. She reached out to run her thumb against one, her red string bracelet's beads clanking softly near his mouth. He opened his eyes and took her by the wrist, shifting slightly to look up at the bracelet he had given her.

"You never take this off, do you?"

"I'm afraid I'll lose it."

He kissed the inside of her palm and sat up. "I'm going to help Izuna."

He rose from the messily lain futon and walked to the basin of water they kept atop a three-drawer dresser. She kept her arms folded against her chest, eyeing him with interest.

"I asked Keigo to accompany us to the Sun Country," she told him.

"Do you think he will be all right?" he asked, cleaning himself with a damp washcloth.

"He's a talented swordsman, he could be useful."

"I'll ask him to prepare for the journey." Once finished, he pulled on a new set of clothes. "He'll be accompanying me to the coastal provinces."

"Keep him safe. I don't want anything to happen to him."

"Perhaps, you should leave him."

"No," she said. "He needs to be there."

Madara shot her a dubious glance. "Why?"

"Because he wants to be a Guardian."

"Why don't you just give him a sphere? You have two."

"Because they already have Guardians," she answered.

"What? Who?"

"Murakami Keishuu and Izuna."

* * *

><p><strong>xl<strong>: Was that too much?

Okay, so officially, the starter arc of the story is done. The next arc is called "Sunburst in the Deep" and it is one of the ones I'm most excited to write about because Yayoi is going to get some good character development and that's basically all I ever wanted, to give her the character development she deserves. However, everything is going to be so serious for a bit, which is why I sort of decided to push the beginning of the arc to the next chapter and to give Madara and Mio some peace and happiness.

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please look forward to the beginning of "Sunburst in the Deep" next chapter. Actually, I think the next chapter will be a little humorous because Mio is going to try her hand at seducing a tyrant. Let's see how successful she is.

As always, thank you **Loteva**, **FlameCore**, **Ninjagirl2211**, and **blob80** for reviewing. :) I also want to say that you all came up with some real interesting ideas about what Mio is hiding! Keep it up! I've been leaving clues left and right, haha!

- On a somewhat unrelated note, in case you don't visit my livejournal. I'm going to write Valentine's Day specials! You can read about that on my profile and find a link to take you where to comment. Please, check it out if you're interested.

Thank you for reading! I'll hopefully see you next week!


End file.
